A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF THE ATHENAEUM n THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY JANUARY 2015 Wine & Spirits International Tasting Nights Scotch Tasting International Nights are Join us for an exclusive the perfect way to explore tasting event featuring scotch. the culinary world without A Platinum Club The “Scotch 101” tasting will be led by Tim Hirota, leaving town. Join us for these special dining of America Vice President of the Artisanal Group of California. experiences. International prix-fixe dinners are Learn the distinction between varietals from aromas, available in addition to our á la carte dinner. flavoring, maturity, taste, and texture during this very (Please see menus on page 5.) special event, one of our most popular. MONDAY, JANUARY 12 – Belgium Featured pours to include: MONDAY, JANUARY 26 – Turkey Auchentoshan, 21 Year / Isle of Jura, 21 Year Seating every half hour from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Samaroli, Evolution / Johnny Walker Blue $34.00 per person FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 6:30 p.m. / $39.00 per person Chef’s Happy New Year Cooking Class: from all the staff at the Burns’ Night Food with Beer Pairings Athenaeum! We will see Supper Chef Kevin welcomes you you after the holidays back into the Athenaeum The songs and poems of when we re-open on kitchen for an afternoon of education that will hone Robert Burns continue to Monday, January 5. your culinary skills. Learn to create a wide variety of live on through our annual dishes paired with beers hand-selected by our Food celebration of his birth. Dr. Neil McLeod leads us again & Beverage Director, Jerry Rodriguez. After class, as the Chairman of the evening. He will recite a Burns you will sit down as a group to enjoy the fruits of style poem with his typical bravado, and then lead us in MLK Jr. Day your labor and, of course, some great beer! a sing-along. Banquet-style seating (tables of 10). We are closed on SATURDAY, JANUARY 24 Monday, January 19 in FRIDAY, JANUARY 23 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 10:00 a.m. Registration observance of the Martin 6:30 p.m. Reception / 7:00 p.m. Dinner and Program Luther King Jr. holiday. 10:15 a.m. Class (begins promptly) $63.00 per person. Hosted cocktail reception and wine Continental breakfast included with dinner. $88.00 per person is available to our hotel guests only on weekends and holidays from 7:30 Bridal Open House a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Save the date this January as The Athenaeum opens its doors for this special occasion. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres & refreshments and become familiar with our historic venue. Meet our experienced Private Events Staff as well as our Reservations preferred wedding vendors. This event is the perfect time Breakfast, Lunch, to visualize your wedding day at The Athenaeum as Dinner and Special Events well as get a jump start on planning all the details. http://athenaeum.caltech.edu Complimentary admission to all members & guests. Hotel Rooms (626) 395-8200 To reserve, please email [email protected]. 551 South Hill Avenue SUNDAY, JANUARY 11 Pasadena, CA 91106 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Advanced reservations are required. Employee of the Month November 2014 (Marisu’s Message Corner) ALBERTO CHAVEZ I would like to start the year by thanking all members for their continuous support of The Athenaeum through their generous contributions to the Employees Holiday Fund and the Athenaeum Architectural Preservation Fund (AAPF). The Athenaeum staff would like to extend their sincerest appreciation and gratitude to all members who gave so generously to the Employee Holiday Fund. This made their holidays really special. Our November Employee of the Month is December was a busy time for the club with all the holiday festivities. The club was Alberto Chavez. Alberto has worked in the delighted to be part of your family celebrations and traditions. Athenaeum kitchen for nine and a half years and he is a repeat Employee of Month winner. 2015 promises to be another exciting year for the club. Alberto was born and raised here in Pasadena Our fourth annual Bridal Open House, scheduled on Sunday, January 11, is a and currently resides in San Dimas. Prior to great way to start the year. Our Private Events office receives a flurry of wedding working at the Athenaeum, Alberto worked inquiries after the holidays. It seems that most wedding proposals and engagements in West Covina at the Regency Grand and occur between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The bridal open house is the at Pasadena City College as a photographer’s perfect time for soon-to-be-brides to start their wedding plans. All members who assistant. Alberto currently works as one of know of family and friends getting married should come and join us at this Bridal our dishwashers and general kitchen helpers. Open House. A wide variety of tasks fall under Alberto’s job description, including but not limited to, Our annual Scotch Tasting, scheduled on Friday, January 16, is one of the transporting dishes to and from the kitchen to highlights of January. In recent years we have had to open a waitlist to the event since the scullery, setting up displays for various club seating is limited. So get your reservation in early by going on-line to make your and private events, and helping plate food for reservation or call (626) 395-8200 to make your reservation now. dinner. Alberto’s willingness to work hard and Of course, January will not be complete without the Robert Burns Supper on Friday, his attention to detail make him the best choice January 23. This is another club event that sells out, so make your reservations early. for our November Employee of the Month. New winter menus at lunch and dinner will be implemented mid-January. Come and When not at work, Alberto spends his free time dine the first two weeks of the month to savor your old favorites. Then, come and visit with his wife of nine and half years, Patricia, again in the latter part of the month to experience all the new menu items. and their three children; Hillary (8), Emily (6), and Brandon (3). Alberto spends much of his The best of the New Year to all from the entire Athenaeum Team! time playing basketball with Hillary and Emily or supervising their piano practice. I look forward to seeing you all at The Athenaeum in 2015. Please drop by my office when you are next at the club. Congratulations Alberto on a job well done! Marisu Jimenez General Manager Holiday FESTIVITIES 2 • January 2015 • SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 Winter Break: Winter Break: Institute Holiday Institute Holiday Athenaeum Closed Athenaeum Closed (Hotel Open) (Hotel Open) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prix Fixe Menu Prix Fixe Menu Prix Fixe Menu available at dinner Prime Rib Buffet available at dinner available at dinner Prix Fixe Menu Rathskeller Special available at dinner Rathskeller Special Rathskeller Special Rathskeller Special $6.95 Philly Cheese Rathskeller Special $6.95 Burger Night $1.75 Fish Taco Night $6.95 Chile Verde Night Steak Night $6.95 Pizza Night 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 International Night Prix Fixe Menu Wine & Spirits Tasting Belgium available at dinner Prime Rib Buffet Rathskeller Special Scotch Prix Fixe Menu $6.95 Philly Cheese Prix Fixe Menu available at dinner Rathskeller Special available at dinner Rathskeller Special Steak Night $6.95 Chile Verde Night Rathskeller Special $1.75 Fish Taco Night Rathskeller Special $6.95 Burger Night $6.95 Pizza Night 18 19 20 À La Carte 21 Prix Fixe Menu 22 23 24 Martin Luther Prix Fixe Menu Dinner Only in MDR Burn's Night Supper King Jr. Day: available at dinner available at dinner Chef's Cooking Class Prix Fixe Menu Prix Fixe Menu Institute Holiday Food with available at dinner Rathskeller Special available at dinner Beer Pairings Rathskeller Special Athenaeum Closed Rathskeller Special $6.95 Philly Cheese Rathskeller Special $1.75 Fish Taco Night $6.95 Chile Verde Night Steak Night $6.95 Pizza Night 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 International Night Prix Fixe Menu Prix Fixe Menu Prix Fixe Menu Turkey available at dinner available at dinner Prix Fixe Menu Prime Rib Buffet available at dinner available at dinner Rathskeller Special Rathskeller Special Rathskeller Special $6.95 Philly Cheese Rathskeller Special Rathskeller Special $1.75 Fish Taco Night $6.95 Chile Verde Night $6.95 Burger Night Steak Night $6.95 Pizza Night New Members A meeting of two notable chefs took Mr. James Alexander Dr. Nivalda Pinguet place at the Athenaeum Ms. Heidi Becker Dr. Carol Raymond lobby recently. Chef Mr. Porfirio Cadena Mr. Kevin Reimer Kevin Isacsson was Mr. Peter Doms Dr. Won-Kyu Rhim thrilled to meet Steven Dr. Noah Duffy Ms. Sarah Slotznick Raichlen, American Dr. Steven Flanagan Mrs. Kelly Smith culinary writere, TV Dr. William Frazier Dr. Alyce Su host, and most recently, Ms. Michele Ilusorio Mr. Peter Theisinger novelist, during his visit Dr. Nachiket Kapre Ms. Lora Unger to the Athenaeum. Chef Mr. Joe Levine Mr. James Van De Voorde Kevin credits Steven Raichlen for the beer can chicken, one of Ms. Cierina Marks Dr. Ward Walkup the popular items served during the summertime at the Rath Ms. Veronica Mcgregor Ms. Susan Wood al Fresco. Chef Raichlen graciously signed Chef Kevin’s first Mr. Albert Mead Mr. Mengchen Yu edition copy of his book, The Barbecue Bible, which is now Dr. Bruce Parkinson Dr.