Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/306378
may 2014 / the tasting panel / 103 Dungeness crab and spring pea soup, paired with . . . Thorny Rose 2010 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley The fresh flavors in this soup match well with the bright with sharp apple and apricot notes of this chard. Arugula, fennel salad with shaved apple, Washington blue cheese and cherry vinaigrette, paired with . . . Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 "Eroica" Riesling, Columbia Valley A simple salad that balances nicely with the Riesling. Perfect with the crispness of the apple. Roasted salmon with wild mush- rooms, paired with . . . Hedges Family Estate 2008 C.M.S., Columbia Valley The salmon is seared and basted with lemon, butter, and fresh herbs. The Cab-Merlot-Syrah cuvée is a seamless match here, rounded with nice tannins. These are some of the standout dishes and wines from Omni's "Taste Washington" promotion at the Omni La Mansión del Rio. welcoming back the longtime, hometown guests. (In addi- tion to being Executive Chef of this property, Brand holds the same duties a few streets away at Mokara Hotel & Spa, also an Omni property.) "River Walk clientele is kind of like in Vegas," Brand says, while sitting in the elegant Mediterranean ambiance of Las Canarias. "Everyone is new every day, and most are at different dollar points. And then there are the hotel guests, and then there is the fact that dinner here is a destination because the theater is right across the street. So I've got to know my guests to cook for my guests." Over the past eight years, Brand has focused on a straight- forward approach, using fewer ingredients—"cooking honest" he calls it, and "cooking real." He must first sell a dish to his cooks before he can sell it to my guests. And, of course, there's corporate. "Omni is hands-on, but only in a supportive way," Brand tells me. "They're very food and beverage–driven, very quality-driven." This sentiment is echoed by John Gomes, Director of Food & Beverage at Omni La Mansión del Rio (and Mokara), who, naturally, works closely with Brand. "Omni's 'Flavors of the World' is by far the best program we have in the company," Gomes explains. "They take chefs and F&B directors to differ- ent countries, like Argentina, Italy, Chile, Spain and France, for full immersion into the restaurants, wineries, and culture." The result of these epicurean outings is a three-month- long special menu promotion dedicated to the region. On the most recent "Flavors of the World" excursion, instead of going overseas, Omni chose to send its people to Washington State. "I was fortunate to be a part of this," says Brand, who coordinated the creation of the Washington-inspired menu with chef contributions from around the country. "First we attended a symposium focusing on the wines. Then we spent four days in Washington; toured four or five wineries a day. It was full immersion in the farms and restaurants. They took great care of us." And because Omni is partnering with the Washington State Wine Commission on this special "Taste Washington" food-and-wine tour (through the end of May), each dish is paired with a Washington State wine. Gomes says it was very important to Omni to be at the forefront of exposing guests to wineries from this lesser-known wine country. Brand explains that, even though the dishes are consistent throughout the country, the wines were hand-selected by individual properties. "Our pairings here, like our intent every night, is to make something memorable," Brand says. "And so it has to have authenticity to it. This program is just one of the ways we're staying in tune with the seasons and the surroundings, and we're staying in tune with the guest." by Anthony Head / photos by Kirk Weddle OMNI HOTELS' HOSPITALITY IN SAN ANTONIO EXTENDS WELL BEYOND TEXAS TP0514_102-116.indd 103 4/24/14 11:03 PM