Author: TAM of Nevada

Bon Appetit! Food and Wine Pairings 101

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment

There are only 174 Master Sommeliers in the world, and 16 of those call Las Vegas home, more than any other U.S. city (Mastersommeliers.org). Not everyone can be a polished wine aficionado, but a server can demonstrate their skill and competence to their guests with some basic knowledge about food and wine pairings. An understanding of what basic combinations go together best, and the skill to recommend a bottle you have on hand to pair with a meal will impress your guests and demonstrate your knowledge. Here are some tips every service professional should know:

  1. Match the texture of the food with the texture of the wine. If you’re going for a hearty or rich meal, make sure to pick a robust wine that will hold up to the textures and the flavors, and vice versa (Real Simple).
  2. When choosing a wine, take the sauce and preparation into consideration, not just the meat. Many people rely only on the meat when choosing the wine and stick with the old standby that white wine goes with white meat and red wine with red meat. However, the sauce is often the dominant flavor in a dish, and a buttery, smooth chardonnay can pair beautifully with pork or steak, when it’s finished in a cream sauce (Wine Country Network).
  3. Always follow personal preferences! Ask your guests what their favorite wines are: some people just don’t like red wines, wines from a particular region, etc. Spices, aromas and flavors appeal to people in different ways, so help your guests to follow their taste buds’ preferences to find something they will like.

Another suggestion for some wine education, and a helpful tool to boot, is Natalie MacLean’s Wine & Food Matcher. Pop in any combination of dishes and/or wines (or cocktails!), and the tool will make suggestions for pairings.

A little help goes a long way, and now you’re well on your way to feeling confident in making suggestions for tasty and memorable combinations. What are your favorite food and wine pairings?

Resources

The Court of Master Sommeliers – Membership

5 Keys to Pairing Food and Wine – Real Simple

Food & Wine Pairing Tips – Wine Country Network

Nat Decants – Wine & Food Matcher

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Where’s the Party? How to Benefit From Favorite Celebrity Hangouts in Vegas

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment

New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Las Vegas is the city that keeps bringing people back. This town has always been a hot spot for those looking to get away from the daily grind and live it up, and those people keep coming back for more. It’s not just the Average Joe’s that appreciate a trip to Sin City, celebrities and public figures are also frequenting our town. The popular saying goes, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” and those who live their lives in the public eye can’t help but be seduced by the idea of getting off the grid for a few days. However, in a world of Twitter, Facebook and smart phones, that isn’t always possible. Not only can we read about where these famous players like to hang out, if you’re lucky enough to work at an establishment that’s frequented by a fan favorite, you can bet that more guests will come pouring in if that news becomes common knowledge.

The publicity and press a club or bar gains when an A-lister is photographed having a good time in their establishment is invaluable. Look at the recent example of the cast of Glee partying at the Bank Nightclub at the Bellagio for Naya Rivera’s birthday. (Las Vegas Sun). Pictures of the event showed up in magazines and in gossip blogs all over the country, and the name Bank Nightclub will remain in the minds of those heading to Vegas in the next couple of months.

As we mentioned in our blog post, “Share the Vegas Inside Scoop for Bigger Tips,” one way to capitalize on this type of knowledge if you work in a bar or restaurant is to share with your guests about which celebrities are in town, and where they will be partying. Use social media to stay close to the latest celebrity news. ClubPlanet wrote an article titled, “The A-List Hangouts: The Top Celebrity Hotspots in Las Vegas” sharing some of the most popular celebrity hangouts in town.

Much the same, your guests will appreciate knowledge about any celebrity shows going on around town. One example would be Nick Cannon announcing he’ll be performing stand-up comedy at the Palms, which was recently reported on Vegas.com’s blog. Long-time favorites and well known performers who appeal to a wide audience, such as Celine Dion, are also worth keeping tabs on. She is, after all, preparing to return to Caesar’s Palace for performances beginning in March. (CelineDion.com). A working knowledge of who is performing where, and how to obtain tickets, can be a valuable tool for a service professional.

Have you recently been star struck by seeing anyone famous in Vegas? How do you stay on top of all of the latest news about who is in town, and where they’ll be?

Resources

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Call It What You May … Alcohol Awareness Card … Alcohol Education Card … Drink Card … But There’s Only One TAM Card!

Published on by TAM of Nevada4 Comments

Did you know that Nevada is one of only 18 states with mandatory alcohol awareness training required for service professionals? (Alcohol Policy Information System). Training classes and drink cards are required here for just about anyone who deals with the sale of alcohol on the job. It is important for service professionals to know the basics of the laws governing the training that they are required to take.

A business can face serious fines for not complying with alcohol education laws, so making sure your training is legit, and that you’re in compliance, is crucial. Service professionals often have a list of common concerns. Is my awareness program state-approved and does the training delivery and content meet state requirements? How often do I have to renew my card? And, taking it a step further, how do other states handle liquor sale laws and training? We’re happy to spill all the details!

In comparison with the rest of the United States, Nevada has relatively liberal alcohol laws. According to Wikipedia, “bars are permitted to remain open 24 hours, with no “last call”. Liquor stores, convenience stores and supermarkets may also sell alcohol 24 hours per day, and may sell beer, wine and spirits.” Local governments in Nevada may have more restrictive regulations than the state. Additionally, Nevada is one of only 10 states that does not impose dram shop liability – what that means is that a service professional or business that over-serves an intoxicated person cannot be held liable if that person injures themselves or someone else after leaving the bar. (Marin Institute). To compare and contrast Nevada’s laws regarding alcohol sales and service with those around the country, you can refer to this chart supplied by Wikipedia. Laws vary greatly not only by state, but sometimes from county to county, so a server should always be aware of the regulations where they are working or planning to work. TAM® provides you the scoop on the local regs whether you work in Clark County or in Sparks.

Given the liberal laws mentioned above, Nevada made a decision to ensure service professionals act as the gatekeepers to sales and service. Nevada’s approach ensures that a well-educated server is familiar with alcohol’s effects on the body and can recognize the dangerous signs of over-intoxication. Just because you cannot legally be held liable for over serving someone, does not mean that you are not morally responsible if someone gets killed or injured. Furthermore, a responsible server knows when to refuse a sale, and that can be one of the most important steps to preventing alcohol-related accidents and fatalities. You wouldn’t want your pharmacist to not be trained in the medications he prescribes you, so why not apply the same thought process to a bartender? Alcohol is a regulated substance too; those who dispense it should be trained about its effects.

Alcohol Awareness Training is required in Nevada Counties with a population of 400,000 or more for almost all service professionals. You can refer to the Nevada Legislature website to read the laws, and for details on who is governed by them. The Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education is the agency charged with approving and regulating schools to provide alcohol awareness training. You should ALWAYS check with the Commission to see if a program you are considering is approved, a list of approved programs is available on their website.

For additional statistics and information on what to look for in a training program, you can read our blog post, “Did You Know That In Nevada Alcohol Education Cards Expire After Four Years?” For more information on beverage service training programs regulated around the country, you can refer to the Alcohol Policy Information System provided by the NIAAA.

There are several providers out there of credible and effective alcohol awareness training, but TAM® of Nevada is the only authorized provider of the TAM card®. TAM® of Nevada has been an approved provider of alcohol awareness education and a provider of alcohol education cards for more than 25 years, and we hope to continue educating Nevada’s sales professionals for a long time to come!

Are you compliant with Nevada’s alcohol and hospitality laws? Do you think Nevada should be doing more to regulate sales and service?

Resources

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Casino Security – Suspicious Activity to Watch For

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment

As a security guard, one has to be aware of their surroundings at all times. The job at hand is to maintain the safety and security of the staff and patrons of an establishment, and to diffuse any potentially hazardous or disruptive situation before it can happen. But, what about taking on this job in a uniquely challenging setting like a casino? Casinos have their own set of security concerns to contend with including large crowds of people, large sums of money being passed around and also kept on site, and the risks that accompany any situation with alcohol present (including rowdy patrons and relaxed inhibitions). And, as one would expect, there will always be people who will try to cheat at gambling.

It takes a certain amount of skill and finesse to maintain order in a casino. There are many types of sophisticated security and monitoring systems in place in casinos, and they vary from location to location. We all know about the ‘eyes in the sky’, and different establishments are constantly introducing additional security measures to stay one step ahead of the cheats. Even given the sophisticated level of technology available today, it doesn’t mean security professionals on the floor can relax and go on autopilot.

Famous cheaters such as Richard Marcus will tell you that in their opinion, technology currently being used won’t stop cheaters in their tracks. According to Marcus, “technology is still only as good as the casino’s workers, whom he fooled for years. If cheaters don’t draw too much attention to themselves, quickly getting onto and then away from the table, it’s unlikely their records will be checked.” (CNET News).

Given this, one must continue to watch for suspicious behavior, your eyes, ears and instincts will always be the best tools for the job. Here you’ll find information on different examples of suspicious or disruptive activity to watch out for.

Cheaters never prosper, and your job as a security guard is to make sure they don’t get away with it. Scammers are always finding new ways to cheat at casinos and in gambling, so it is incredibly important for security professionals to remain alert and stay up-to-date about new types of scams – your employer will tell you what they want you to watch for. In addition to what you’ll learn from your employer or security training program, keep an eye out for patrons who look overly nervous, sweaty or shifty eyed. Most cheaters get caught because they are easy to read, and if not, you can also catch them when they get greedy; an unusual pattern of excessive winning may be more than just luck.

The variety of scams used to cheat are far too numerous to list here. For a succinct list of some of the most popular scams employed in Vegas casinos, you can refer to Vegas Chatter’s article, “The Most Popular Ways To Cheat in Vegas.” Once you’re familiar with some of the more common dupes and how to spot them, you are on your way to becoming a formidable security professional.

However, one should be aware that it’s not just cheaters and thieves that need to be managed in a casino setting; security professional needs to be on the lookout for disruptive patrons, rowdy drunks, and even dishonest employees.

No one likes to lose money, but look out for those who become overly combative or upset. Stress can make people do senseless things, and anyone who will argue with or become rude to a dealer or another player should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t take out their anger in an inappropriate way. One angry or disruptive patron at a gaming table can have an effect on their other patrons at the table that might choose to play elsewhere.

As mentioned, it’s not just players and patrons a security guard should watch, casino employees should be observed as well. Casinos have all types of procedures in place to first hire honest and trustworthy individuals, and then to them from participating in scams or skimming off the top. However, you’ll always find the occasional bad seed, so be alert for employees skimming casino chips, or those who partner up with guests to help steal personal items like checked coats or purses. Ronald Petyak, a police official reporting to Pennsylvania casino officials on security measures in 14 of the state’s casinos recently said, “theft by casino employees is one of the most prevalent forms of theft, and the hardest to detect. More employee theft has been documented than theft by patrons.” He said one employee of a Connecticut casino was “caught placing $97,000 [in casino funds] in his socks.” (Pittsburgh-Post Gazette via SecurityInfoWatch.com).

As a security professional, one must always remain vigilant. Read more about the recent 1.5 million dollar heist perpetrated at the Bellagio Casino in our recent blog article, “Are You Concerned About Recent Rash of Casino Robberies?” What types of scams or suspicious behavior have you witnessed while working as a security guard? What tips would you give to someone looking to work as a security professional in Las Vegas?

Resources

CNET News – Technology Can’t Beat Us, Casino Cheat Says

Vegas Chatter – The Most Popular Ways To Cheat in Vegas

Security Info Watch – Experts Tell Penn. Gaming Panel How to Spot, Avoid Casino Cheating

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada