Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/646914
march 2016 / the tasting panel / 75 hen titans of any industries meet, insightful conversation is sure to follow. Throw in great wines, all-star cuisine, legend-worthy bourbon and a hint of gunsmoke, and you've got a recipe for passionate discussion of one thing Fred Dame, MS and celebrity chef Rick Moonen know a thing or two about: flavor. We caught up with both men in Las Vegas at Chef Moonen's RX Boiler Room for the finale of our "Dining with The Duke" competition, which pitted five bartenders and one chef against each other in a pairing challenge like no other. While we can't give away too many details of the competition just yet (You'll have to wait for our April issue for that!—Ed.), we sat down with Fred and Rick for an impromptu chat, where the two, who have been friends for nearly 30 years, dished on the state of modern mixology and wine, spirit and food pairings. Here's what these two masters of their craft had to say. We asked one question and let their vast professional experience take it from there! —Rachel Burkons Q: Why do you think it is important for today's mixology community to learn about pairing with wines, as we're having contestants do as part of this competition? Fred Dame: I think that having the understanding does twofold. First of all, it proves your knowledge and is an overall important part of the dining experience. Secondly, the world is changing; it's not going to be the same tomorrow as it was today. And when you look at the younger generations coming up, they're really into high quality, into the creativity, into learning unique flavors. And for a whole generation—my generation—it was built on consistency. When you opened a Bud, it tasted like a Bud. When you had anything, it was consistent. Today's young ones—including my own children—don't seem to want that. They're like, "Can we change it? Can we make it different? Why do we have to do that? Can't we do something different?" And I think that's the exciting part about all of it; if you're going to stay current and stay focused, and continue your education, you have to participate in all elements of the experience. Rick Moonen: Well, the funny thing is, nothing has changed and everything has changed. I'm the same generation as Fred, and we now rely on the Millennial interest because that's where our business is going. Different sectors of our industry are budding, one of them being cocktails and spirits. But the thing that hasn't changed is how things come together on your palate. What I call the party—the perfect party—is the perfect balance, or perfect contrast, which creates a balance of flavors: bitter, sweet, sour, salty and, the ultimate, umami. The uncontrollable salivation of your mouth—that's the party. And how that comes together has never changed, but how we're accomplishing that is constantly changing. So we're pushing the envelope. And I, as an older gen- eration, love the ride. Because it's probably the greatest reward when you can give someone something you've discovered, and they get that "a-ha", that moment of realization that something just happened in their palate. That's the biggest reward that I could possibly get. What is Dining with The Duke? In 2015, we challenged bartenders and chefs from around the country to flex their pairing muscles, asking them to pair food, Duke Bourbon and wines together in inno- vative and creative ways. The brainchild of Duke Spirits partner Chris Radomski, the first annual competition took place in Las Vegas in mid-January. Our April issue will get to the True Grit of the competition, so stay tuned for more! One of the cocktails cre- ated during our two-day, three part Duke Bourbon pairing competi- tion. This drink, The Conqueror, was created by Kurtis Williams, of The Gladly in Phoenix, AZ.