Why Restaurant Owners Hate Bloggers

Bloggers are experts on everything – or so they think. I know it's a bit contradictory for me, the person contributing to a blog site, to say such a thing but let me explain.

First of all, let's set some parameters for my discussion on this topic. I am only referring to blogging done by self-proclaimed culinary experts who watch way the hell too much Food Network and are probably unaware of the dangerous power they have to damage a restaurant's reputation with their dribble that spews from their fingertips.

Here's how their dining experiences go: They visit a restaurant and then as soon as they get home, log on to their favorite site; like chowhound.com, Urbanspoon, or Yelp!, and write elaborate posts about how the food was, how the service was, how the ambiance affected their lives. When you find it necessary to describe how the potpourri in the bathroom didn't match the theme of the restaurant, it sometimes takes 4 or 5 pages.

The problem is that the majority of these culinary dopes wouldn't know proper service if it hit them in the head. And, they've never been to culinary school or anything like it. As a person who has been trained how to expertly execute fine dining service, knows how to open a bottle of wine (following the Court of Master Sommeliers' standards), and has worked in numerous award-winning restaurants, it hurts me to read the inaccurate crap that comes from those kinds of bloggers. Those people who love to tell their friends how big of a “foodie” they are – and they probably love to use that term foodie.

I know what gives them the right to spout off about whatever they want – this is the Internet – but I want to warn the rest of us to not believe everything you read on those sites. Remember, they might not be as big of an expert as they sound. If you've heard more good than bad about a place, go eat there and decide for yourself.

I also want to chastise anyone who is guilty of gratuitous derogatory blogging about any restaurant anywhere. I once read a blog post that accused a restaurateur of having their employees cast bogus votes on Tripadvisor.com to boost the restaurant's popularity. This guy didn't have much else to say, just threw out the accusation and nothing more. What a jerk, and I hope I never meet him.

So now, go forth and dine and think for yourself!

Who are the Best Industry People You Know?

Vegas Dining Scene is Looking for the Best Hospitality Employees in Las Vegas
Tell us who you think deserves some recognition!

Living in Las Vegas, whether we like it or not, we are all affected by the monstrous amount of hospitality industry workers that are an integral part of the success of the Las Vegas economy. They create the menus, mix the drinks and serve the food that Las Vegas is world-famous for (not to mention: clean the rooms, book the hotels, rent the cars, etc).

In a city saturated with thousands of "hospitality drones," there are still those rare service employees who really stand out. We would imagine, if you're here reading a foodie blog, you've experienced one or more of those amazing, unforgettable moments while dining out; those times where a server went above and beyond or when a particular dish stopped you in your tracks, forcing you to pause and think, "Holy crap, This is UNBELIEVABLE!"

Well, Vegas Dining Scene wants to know who those people are and when you had one of those moments. Where was your great experience and what and/or who made it so memorable? We will take your "nominations" and present them for an open vote in December. We will announce the winners in 2008 - to the public and directly to those stunning individuals as well.

So, tell us now who you think deserves some kudos. Send us an email with any or all of this info:

The Place (which restaurant or bar is so incredible)
The Person (and what they did that's so great)
The Drink (and who made it if possible)
The Food/Chef (who makes your favorite dishes)

Raising Adventurous Eaters
Local Chefs' Suggestions Develop
the Gourmand in Your Child
by Donna Freeman; featured in BLVDS Las Vegas Aug/Sept '08

When I was nine years old, I remember blowing some poor bistro waiter's mind when I ordered escargot – after my cheeseburger had arrived. Being the only kid at the table, my food was ordered and served first but when my parent's escargot appetizers arrived, they smelled so good, I wanted my own.

I wonder now, how did my parents cultivate such an adventurous young diner? Possibly it was because they were chefs themselves and there was always something interesting coming out of our kitchen. Though being a chef doesn't guarantee success with getting children to branch out and try new foods, it certainly seems they have better luck at it.

Chef Michael and Wendy Jordan of Rosemary's Restaurant are also parents to Ben, age 11, and Sarah, 6. Because of their busy schedules at the restaurant, there is usually only one parent at the Jordan's home during dinnertime. Because of this, mealtime is casual. Rather than a formal, pre-planned event, Chef Wendy gives her kids the freedom to choose their own meals as long as they're balanced and appropriately sized portions. Dessert is always the reward for a well-chosen meal.

Chef Megan Romano of Aureole is mother to William, 6; Nina, 5 and Francesca, 3 months. She explains that her kids are really good eaters and everyone typically eats the same types of foods.
“We do not cook separately for our children” says Romano. “I made their baby food from fresh fruits and vegetables from the start so they seem to enjoy whatever we eat. Nina is a little bit more of a meat and potatoes girl while Will especially enjoys ratatouille, sliders, most vegetables... just about everything.”

Chef Todd Clore and his wife Terry, who both work full time at their restaurant, Todd's Unique Dining, allow McKenna, 14 and Mathison, 13 to choose their own meals from a diverse selection of foods at home that mom and dad prepare ahead for them at the beginning of the week.

Most families find it difficult to find time to have a sit-down, family dinner every night, but the added challenge the “chef family” faces is that, in most cases, a chef is at work creating exquisite meals for strangers during dinnertime. It is impossible to keep the same meal schedule as a set of 9 to 5 parents.

The chefs we spoke with all agreed on the importance of eating together as a family and when the stars align and a family meal is possible, their kids love the ritual and routine of it. Chef Wendy Jordan explains, “We eat together as a family on the nights we're all home or when we have guests in town. Sarah loves to make place cards so we know where to sit. Eating together gives us an opportunity to catch up with each other in this busy world and that's very important to us.”

When is the right age to teach your child to cook? And what, besides toast, do you start them off with? Teaching your kid to cook serves many purposes, aside from alleviating the burden of cooking every single meal and being able to sleep in on Saturday mornings, it can help to teach organization and offer kids healthier options than drive-thru food.

The best time to bring your child into the kitchen is when they show an interest, regardless of their age. Most parents find it easier to start kids off with simple foods, things like eggs, pancakes and sandwiches. Safety is always an issue, and choosing easy foods that don't require a lot of skill on the stove is a good starting point. “Because we work a lot we have introduced things like paninis and quesadillas - items that don't take a lot of movement on a stove.” says Chef Todd Clore.

At some point, every child will exert their own specific culinary likes and dislikes. How do parents deal with their kids' picky tastes and get them to try unfamiliar foods and do chefs approach it any differently? “We have a points system for behaviors and chores, so if we see the opportunity we say, 'if you try this you'll earn a point' says Chef Wendy. “If the kids don’t want to, we don’t push it but we always ask.”

The dining experience is about about interacting with others at the table, finding out what foods you like, how much to eat and learning good behavior. Chef Wendy suggests, “Patience, tolerance and exposure. It takes time to get kids used to the variety of food choices and the ceremony of manners that goes with dining out. When going out to eat, try not to have too many expectations about how the evening will go. Just set the boundaries for behavior before you enter the restaurant, offer a reward as a goal and enjoy being together. And do this often so everyone gets used the routine.”

Teaching your children to be well-mannered, adventurous eaters that are at comfortable in any restaurant situation will not happen over night. It takes practice and patience and there's more to it than just diversifying your child's palate. If a child can learn to be less picky about their food, perhaps those good lessons will carry over into other areas of their lives. We all know how difficult it is to accept not getting exactly what we want. It's far better to just be happy with what we do have.