Show 287, August 25, 2018: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

First our heartiest congratulations to Chef Andrew & Lauren Gruel on the arrival of (Baby) Jack Stone Gruel. Lauren, Andrew & Jack are all are doing well…

Now a tempting preview of Saturday’s properly decadent show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…
Chef Romeo Garcia of Romeo Chocolates in Downtown Long Beach is a Master Chocolatier with a global reach. In addition to decadent chocolates (artisan bars & truffles) his chocolate boutique serves a variety of appealing chocolate beverages. Think Frozen Hot Chocolate, an ice-blended beverage. He also offers creative chocolate pairings with wine and beer. Chef Romeo is our guest.

As the L.A. Times Test Kitchen director, Noelle Carter oversees the testing of all recipes that appear in The Times. She is also part of The Taste held on the Paramount Pictures Studios backlot over three nights during Labor Day Weekend. Noelle puts down her spatula for a preview.

Tuxton China Inc., a leading tabletop supplier to the foodservice industry, will again (for the 3rd year) partner with C-CAP, the Careers through Culinary Arts Program, to raise vitally needed funds. By purchasing Tuxton products during September, Tuxton will make a generous donation to help provide thousands of high school students across the United States with scholarships, training, internships and much more. Tuxton’s Vice President of Business Development, Jennifer Rolander, joins us with the details.

On the heels of its 20th anniversary, the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) will host the 3rd Annual “Tastemakers of Orange County” culinary event on Wednesday, September 5th in the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This culinary event celebrates the Asian and Pacific Islander community, culture, and heritage by giving guests the opportunity to taste and indulge in Asian and Pacific Island-inspired cuisines and beverages from distinguished chefs throughout Orange County. Proceeds from tickets sold for this event benefit OCAPICA to support mental health, health, workforce, youth in education, and civic engagement opportunities for low income families throughout Orange County. Participants Tarit and Sora (Chair of OCAPICA) Tanjasiri of The Crema Caféand Crema Artisan Bakers provide all the tempting details.

For the entire month of August, FOODBEAST is bringing you SPAM® Restaurant Month! This month-long event showcases the versatility of SPAM® and its place on the restaurant scene nationwide, from fast-casual to fine dining concepts. Think of everything from $100 Gold SPAM® Musubis in San Francisco to SPAM® Tamales in Orlando. <strong>FOODBEAST’s Geoff Kutnick opens the tin for us on these wild chef creations.

Chef Andrew Gruel, the founder of The Slapfish Restaurant Group, joins us with another installment of “Ask the Chef.” Consider the poor, misunderstood sardine. There is actually a lot more to it than what is packed in a flat tin with olive oil, tomato sauce or mustard. Fresh sardines (when available) grilled, fried or broiled are a healthy treat.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Show 287, August 25, 2018: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month

Geoff KutnickFor the entire month of August, FOODBEAST is bringing you SPAM® Restaurant Month! This month-long event showcases the versatility of SPAM® and its place on the restaurant scene nationwide, from fast-casual to fine dining concepts. Think $100 Gold SPAM® Musubis in San Francisco to SPAM® Tamales in Orlando.

FOODBEAST has curated an impressive lineup of concepts across the United States to share their SPAM® creations. Each item is what FOODBEAST likes to call ‘FOODBEAST Approved’ for taste, creativity and newsworthiness, pushing restaurants to unprecedented lengths of SPAM® innovation.

FOODBEAST’s Geoff Kutnick opens the tin for us on these wild chef-driven creations.

Show 287, August 25, 2018: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month Continues…

Geoff KutnickFor the entire month of August, FOODBEAST is bringing you SPAM® Restaurant Month! This month-long event showcases the versatility of SPAM® and its place on the restaurant scene nationwide, from fast-casual to fine dining concepts. Think $100 Gold SPAM® Musubis in San Francisco to SPAM® Tamales in Orlando.

Locally in Santa Ana (4th Street Market) look for Dos Chinos’ Al Pastor SPAM Papas Fritas. It’s SPAM® marinated in Al Pastor sauce topped with onions, cilantro, sour cream and pineapple served on top of fries. Also Pineapple Teriyaki Crispy SPAM® Pizza (NY-style with thin crust) from Jinny’s Pizzeria (Also at 4th Street Market.)

FOODBEAST’s Geoff Kutnick continues….

August 25: Romeo Chocolates, The Taste, Tuxton China, C-CAP Los Angeles, Tastemakers of OC, FoodBeast’s Spam Restaurant Month

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chocolatier Romeo Garcia, Romeo Chocolates, Long Beach
Segment Three: Noelle Carter, Test Kitchen Director, Los Angeles Times, The Taste
Segment Four: Jennifer Rolander, Tuxton China Inc.
Segment Five: “Tastemakers of Orange County” Benefiting OCAPICA
Segment Six: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month Part One
Segment Seven: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month Part Two
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Our congratulations to Chef Andrew & Lauren Gruel on the arrival of (Baby) Jack Stone Gruel. Lauren, Andrew & Jack are all are doing well…

Now a tempting preview of this Saturday’s properly decadent show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…

Chef Romeo Garcia of Romeo Chocolates in Downtown Long Beach is a Master Chocolatier with a global reach. In addition to decadent chocolates (artisan bars & truffles) his chocolate boutique serves a variety of appealing chocolate beverages. Think Frozen Hot Chocolate, an ice-blended beverage. He also offers creative chocolate pairings with wine and beer. Chef Romeo is our guest.

As the L.A. Times Test Kitchen director, Noelle Carter oversees the testing of all recipes that appear in The Times. She is also part of The Taste held on the Paramount Pictures Studios backlot over three nights during Labor Day Weekend. Noelle puts down her spatula for a preview.

Tuxton China Inc., a leading tabletop supplier to the foodservice industry, will again (for the 3rd year) partner with C-CAP, the Careers through Culinary Arts Program, to raise vitally needed funds. By purchasing Tuxton products during September, Tuxton will make a generous donation to help provide thousands of high school students across the United States with scholarships, training, internships and much more. Tuxton’s Vice President of Business Development, Jennifer Rolander, joins us with the details.

On the heels of its 20th anniversary, the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) will host the 3rd Annual “Tastemakers of Orange County” culinary event on Wednesday, September 5th in the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This culinary event celebrates the Asian and Pacific Islander community, culture, and heritage by giving guests the opportunity to taste and indulge in Asian and Pacific Island-inspired cuisines and beverages from distinguished chefs throughout Orange County. Proceeds from tickets sold for this event benefit OCAPICA to support mental health, health, workforce, youth in education, and civic engagement opportunities for low income families throughout Orange County. Participants Tarit and Sora Tanjasiri of The Crema Café and Crema Artisan Bakers provide all the tempting details.

For the entire month of August, FOODBEAST is bringing you SPAM® Restaurant Month! This month-long event showcases the versatility of SPAM® and its place on the restaurant scene nationwide, from fast-casual to fine dining concepts. Think $100 Gold SPAM® Musubis in San Francisco to SPAM® Tamales in Orlando. FOODBEAST’s Geoff Kutnick opens the tin for us on these wild creations.

Chef Andrew Gruel, the founder of The Slapfish Restaurant Group, joins us with another installment of “Ask the Chef.” Consider the poor, misunderstood sardine. There is actually a lot more to it than what is packed in a flat tin with olive oil, tomato sauce or mustard. Fresh sardines (when available) grilled, fried or broiled are a treat.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Romeo GarciaChef Romeo Garcia of Romeo Chocolates in Downtown Long Beach is a Master Chocolatier with a global reach. He is so highly regarded in Long Beach that the buildout of the retail shop was partially underwritten by a successful Kickstarter Campaign.

In addition to decadent chocolates (artisan bars & truffles) his chocolate boutique serves a variety of appealing chocolate beverages and plated desserts. Think Frozen Hot Chocolate, an incredibly rich ice-blended beverage.

Romeo Chocolates also offers creative chocolate pairings with wine and beer.

“It’s easy to fall in love with chocolate.  Romeo became enamored with the artistry of design, flavors, and the richness of the story of chocolate-making from around the world.  An avid learner and traveler, Romeo graduated from Ecole Professional School of Chocolate Arts, completed the Master Chocolatier Program in Belgium, and traveled across Europe, South Pacific, and other regions to carefully source chocolates and ingredients.  Proudly made in Long Beach, California.  Enjoy our artisanal, micro-batch chocolate bars and confections!”

Chef Romeo Garcia is our guest.

Noelle CarterAs the L.A. Times Test Kitchen director, Noelle Carter oversees the testing of all recipes that appear in The Times. She is also part of The Taste held on the Paramount Pictures Studios backlot over three nights during Labor Day Weekend.

On Sunday night of The Taste, Noelle is performing a Southern Cooking Demonstration with Chef Sean Lowenthal of Little Beast.

“This Labor Day weekend, join the Los Angeles Times for 3 evenings of amazing food, wine, spirits and chef experiences, plus unique culinary pop-ups and collaborations. Dozens of hand-picked local restaurants each evening will showcase our city’s rich and diverse culinary scene by serving you their best. Sip, savor, and celebrate Southern California’s most inspired food and drink. 21 and over only.”

In addition to her Test Kitchen duties, Noelle writes features, pens the “Culinary SOS column, and contributes daily kitchen tips, recipes and videos to Food’s Daily Dish blog, and is also a regular contributor to “The Splendid Table” radio program. A native Southern Californian, she also holds a degree in film from the University of Southern California and, when she’s not cooking, loves watching old movies.

Noelle puts down her trusty spatula for an enticing preview.

Jennifer RolanderTuxton China Inc., a leading tabletop supplier to the foodservice industry, will again (for the 3rd year) partner with C-CAP, the Careers through Culinary Arts Program, to raise vitally needed funds. By purchasing Tuxton products during September, Tuxton will make a generous donation to help provide thousands of high school students across the Nation with scholarships, training, internships and much more.

“At Tuxton, giving back is an important part of our company’s core values, and our continuing partnership with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program gives us the opportunity to help disadvantaged high school students become part of our industry, says Vice President of Business Development Jennifer Rolander. Our continued support of this organization as one of our “Tuxton Cares” partners is a priority for us, and we are looking forward to providing funds for scholarships and their competition plates for years to come!

Tuxton’s Vice President of Business Development, Jennifer Rolander, along with C-CAP Los Angeles Director Lisa Fontanesi, joins us with the details.

Tarit Tanjasiri of Crema CafeOn the heels of its 20th anniversary, the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) will host the 3rd Annual “Tastemakers of Orange County” culinary event on Wednesday, September 5th in the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This culinary event celebrates the Asian and Pacific Islander community, culture, and heritage by giving guests the opportunity to taste and indulge in Asian and Pacific Island-inspired cuisines and beverages from distinguished chefs throughout Orange County.

Proceeds from tickets sold for this event benefit OCAPICA to support mental health, health, workforce, youth in education, and civic engagement opportunities for low income families throughout Orange County.

The celebration at Argyros Plaza will include food tastings, fun entertainment, and silent and live auctions for guests to enjoy. Tickets are available to the public for $125 for VIP, which allows early entry at 6 p.m., and $85 for General Admission, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. More information and tickets can be found here.

Participants Tarit and Sora Park Tanjasiri of The Crema Café and Crema Artisan Bakers provide all the tempting details. (Sora is a Board Member of OCAPICA)

Geoff KutnickFor the entire month of August, FOODBEAST is bringing you SPAM® Restaurant Month! This month-long event showcases the versatility of SPAM® and its place on the restaurant scene nationwide, from fast-casual to fine dining concepts. Think $100 Gold SPAM® Musubis in San Francisco to SPAM® Tamales in Orlando.

FOODBEAST has curated an impressive lineup of concepts across the United States to share their SPAM® creations. Each item is what FOODBEAST likes to call ‘FOODBEAST Approved’ for taste, creativity and newsworthiness, pushing restaurants to unprecedented lengths of SPAM® innovation.

FOODBEAST’s Geoff Kutnick opens the tin for us on these wild creations.

Locally in Santa Ana (4th Street Market) look for Dos Chinos’ Al Pastor SPAM Papas Fritas. It’s SPAM® marinated in Al Pastor sauce topped with onions, cilantro, sour cream and pineapple served on top of fries.

Andrew and William GruelChef Andrew Gruel, the founder of The Slapfish Restaurant Group, joins us with another installment of Ask the Chef.”

Consider the poor, misunderstood sardine. There is actually a lot more to it than what is packed in a flat tin with olive oil, tomato sauce or mustard. Fresh sardines (when available) grilled, fried or broiled are a treat.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chocolatier Romeo Garcia, Romeo Chocolates, Long Beach
Segment Three: Noelle Carter, Test Kitchen Director, Los Angeles Times, The Taste
Segment Four: Jennifer Rolander, Tuxton China Inc.
Segment Five: “Tastemakers of Orange County” Benefiting OCAPICA
Segment Six: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month Part One
Segment Seven: FOODBEAST’s SPAM Restaurant Month Part Two
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Show 256, January 13, 2018: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel

Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s abundant show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re always here with you live every Saturday morning throughout the new year.

Surprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and craft beers can now reach thirsty restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery. We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder, Conner Watts.

January 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations. Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Chef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening. We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

All sports fans anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers along the way? For the 3rd year the ever-creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

On the horizon is the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor. Their own resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Situated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County. Chef Gabe uncorks the unusual experience for us.

Our always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018. Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Show 256, January 13, 2018: Elie Ayrouth, Founder of Foodbeast, Noods Noods Noods

Elie AyrouthJanuary 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations.

Event Date: January 27th, 2018
Event Location: Downtown Santa Ana, outside of Esports Arena at 120 W 5th st, Santa Ana CA 92701

Standard Ticket Price: $10 Marketplace | $60 VIP

Tickets for NOODS NOODS NOODS can be purchased right here.

Listen to the podcast to obtain a special discount offer for VIP admission exclusively for our listeners. It does sell out!

Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

January 13: Los Muertos Brewery, Noods Noods Noods, Neal Fraser, Native Son Alehouse, Sidedoor, Tierra Sur

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel
Segment Two: Conner Watts, Founder, Los Muertos Brewery, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Segment Three: Elie Ayrouth, Founder of Foodbeast, Noods Noods Noods
Segment Four: Executive Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown L.A.
Segment Five: Jon Sanchez, Proprietor, Native Son Alehouse, Santa Ana
Segment Six: Tracy Nelsen, Cheese Monger, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Seven: Chef Gabriel Garcia, Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s abundant show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re always here with you live every Saturday morning throughout the new year.

Surprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and craft beers can now reach thirsty restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery. We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder, Conner Watts.

January 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations. Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Chef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening. We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

All sports fans anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers along the way? For the 3rd year the ever-creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

On the horizon is the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor. Their own resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Situated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County. Chef Gabe uncorks the unusual experience for us.

Our always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018. Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Conner WattsSurprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and local craft beers can now reach restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery and brewpub to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery.

“For years during the proliferation of tourism in Mexican beach destinations like Puerto Vallarta the beer scene was completely dominated by smooth drinking Mexican lagers. As demonstrated by every Corona commercial ever this is great for sitting on a beach. To this day many tourists think of a “local” Mexican beers as Corona, Pacifico, or Dos Equis XX. But as a growing number of beer drinkers are pushing craft tastes into the mainstream these standard macro beers definitely leave many connoisseurs wanting more. Upon relocating full time to Puerto Vallarta, the founders of Los Muertos could not have agreed more. Driven by the thirst for flavorful varieties of beer, bringing Vallarta its first craft brewery became their dream.”

We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder & restaurateur Conner Watts.

Elie AyrouthJanuary 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations.

Event Date: January 27th, 2018
Event Location: Downtown Santa Ana, outside of Esports Arena at 120 W 5th st, Santa Ana CA 92701

Standard Ticket Price: $10 Marketplace | $60 VIP

Tickets for NOODS NOODS NOODS can be purchased right here.

Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Neal FraserChef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening.

It’s 6:30 p.m. for the Cocktail Reception featuring a specialty libation created by mixologist Devon Espinosa of Sunset & Vinyl and also a C-CAP alum. The grand, five-course premium wine & craft beer-paired Dinner (and the Live Auction) is set for 7:30 p.m.

The A-List chef brigade stars Host Chef Neal Fraser, Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Ray Garcia & Ivan Marquez (Broken Spanish), David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post), Jason Neroni (Rose Cafe), Amar Santana (Vaca & Broadway by Amar Santana), Michael Voltaggio (ink.well) and Sherry Yard (iPic Entertainment).

We also caught on national TV Chef Neal in colorful chef’s attire riding on the front of the Kaiser Permanente 2018 Rose Parade float. The float was named “Inspiring Healthy Communities.” We’ll ask Chef Neal about this unusual New Year’s Day honor.

We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

Jon SanchezAll sports fans eagerly anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers?

For the 3rd year the ever- creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. All participants were invited by the staff at Native Son Alehouse.

Already decided are the matchups between Artifex and Cellador Ales, and Mikkeller and Homage Brewing.

At any given time Native Son rotates a carefully hand-picked selection of 27 craft beer styles for their discriminating guests to enjoy. A new addition is the Ember BBQ kitchen serving Kansas City-style barbecue.

Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

Tracy NelsenIt’s the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor.

SideDoor is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and in 2017 began presenting a new series dedicating one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. A different creamery is featured at each event, and twice a year the series culminates in the ultimate celebration of fromage with the Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party – the next taking place on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

The evening will showcase the previous four creameries of the series including Jasper Hill (September 2017), Rogue (October 2017), French Theme (November 2017), and Andante (December 2017), and offer cheese, charcuterie, passed appetizers and beverage pairings. SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, will be on hand to educate guests on the various cheeses presented and to recommend the perfect pairings.

SideDoor is Corona del Mar’s first and only English gastropub. A red key hangs over the entryway on Poppy Street as an unspoken invitation to indulge in world-class spirits, craft beer and wine flights.

SideDoor’s resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Gabriel GarciaSituated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County.

Modern and inspired New American fare, and the ambiance of dining inside of the area’s largest winery delight guests of this truly one of a kind, farm-to-table concept. It’s unusually a kosher restaurant but you don’t have to be Jewish (or keep kosher) to fully appreciate the fine food or refined atmosphere.

Being located in the center of the region’s largest winery has its benefits; guests may order from a special ‘Wine Tasters Menu’ and enjoy a three -course prix fixe selection, each paired with Herzog Special Reserve award-winning wines. Whether stopping on the way to Santa Barbara, or traveling to Ventura County – Tierra Sur offers exceptional dining and a charming stop along the way.

Chef Gabe gently pulls the cork on the unusual experience for us.

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosOur always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018.

Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel
Segment Two: Conner Watts, Founder, Los Muertos Brewery, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Segment Three: Elie Ayrouth, Founder of Foodbeast, Noods Noods Noods
Segment Four: Executive Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown L.A.
Segment Five: Jon Sanchez, Proprietor, Native Son Alehouse, Santa Ana
Segment Six: Tracy Nelsen, Cheese Monger, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Seven: Chef Gabriel Garcia, Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Show 219, April 15, 2017: FOODBEAST’s Meat Street Festival

Cody StortsFoodbeast is launching, Meat Street, what they ambitiously bill as the ultimate meat festival of Southern California. All of the meat-centric grub you can imagine is coming to the Main Place Mall on April 22, 2017. Meat Street, Presented by Foodbeast and The Makers of The SPAM Brand, this one-day meat fest will feature a wide variety of delicious and crazy exclusive culinary creations, as well as drinks and other fun activities.

“MEAT STREET will showcase the best meat dishes that Southern California has to offer. Grilled, fried, on a stick… however you like your carne you can bet it’ll be there. You can expect exclusive items from eateries such as Slater’s 50/50, Bruxie, Mess Hall Canteen, Elbows Mac n Cheese, and more. With a large number of participating vendors bringing the best of their offerings, and incorporating the Foodbeast elements we all know and love (we’re talking epic eats you won’t find anywhere else), guests are guaranteed to leave full and maybe even considering vegetarianism.”

There is a Marketplace for General Admission guests and two sessions of VIP.

Producer Bobby Navarro of 100eats joins us along with participating Chef Cody Storts of Salt and Ash with the meaty specifics.

Show 192, October 9, 2016: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris and Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel, Founder, Slapfish Restaurant Group

We shifted our broadcast time this week to Sunday afternoon, October 9th to accommodate the unusually early kickoff of Fighting Irish Football on Saturday. On October 15th we’ll return to our usual home of 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. Thanks for your appreciated patience…See you there.

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosExecutive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Brea, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, most recently, The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for Rams and USC Football, is back as today’s Guest Host. San Clemente is launching next. In May in Chicago during the National Restaurant Association’s annual conclave he received Nation’s Restaurant News’ Trendsetter MenuMaster Award for Slapfish.

John Terlato of Terlato Wines is a distinguished California vintner and well-known wine entrepreneur. He will share with us his recent adventures in Burgundy, France. It’s a great travel destination for any fan of the wine grape!

Anne Marie Panoringan of OC Weekly is well-known to listeners of the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” Anne Marie was intrigued and followed the buzz about a new Downtown Los Angeles restaurant that’s billed as “The West Coast’s Highest Dining Destination” and is situated on the 71st floor of a renovated high-rise. She has now been there twice. Anne Marie will share her first impressions. Is the food worthy of the view? Listen and find out…

Terranea Resort (L.A.’s Oceanfront Resort) is perched just above the ocean on the magnificent Palos Verdes peninsula. Upcoming is their 3-day, 3rd Annual Celebration of Food & Wine. We’ll have a preview with Mar’sel’s Aloys Scheer.

FOODBEAST has joined in partnership with Visit Anaheim to promote food tourism in Anaheim. That also includes visibility for the local craft beer scene. Elie Ayrouth, Co-Founder and Publisher at FOODBEAST is our guest. Cheers…

We know Chef Art Gonzalez from the popular Panxa Cocina in Long Beach. Chef Art has recently revived his fondly-remembered Belmont Shore casual spot, Roe Restaurant & Fish Market. It’s now morphed (after a major remodel) into Roe Seafood Xpress (the casual side) and the just opened, dinner only, Roe Restaurant. We’ve reeled in Chef Art to explain all the details.

Santa Ana’s The Electric City Butcher, Chef Michael Puglisi, is part of MaxLove Project’s Gold Apron Society. MaxLove Project is an Orange County nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of child cancer survivors and their families. They are holding the 2nd annual “Farm-to-Fork Dinner” at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 15th at Tanaka Farms in Irvine. Chef Mike joins us with the farm-fresh details.

Our Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish Restaurant Group, is always in the know. He shares a new list of personally researched “Finds” with us. What’s on his mind today is an eye-opening, hearty, family-friendly breakfast in Orange County that goes way beyond the blandness of the heavily advertised chains. Sorry, no coupons here just local character, good food and priced at a value.…

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Show 192, October 9, 2016: FOODBEAST’s Partnership with Visit Anaheim

Elie AyrouthFOODBEAST has joined in partnership with Visit Anaheim to promote food tourism in Anaheim. Ethnic delights abound in the City. That also includes visibility for the bourgeoning local craft beer scene. Elie Ayrouth, Co-Founder and Publisher at FOODBEAST is our guest. Cheers…

  • Visit Anaheim’s simple mission has been to share and promote the tourist attractions of the city since 1961, and FOODBEAST have joined in their efforts with an awesome video series that places their national spotlight on the local restaurants, food trucks, and breweries that make Anaheim a unique foodie destination.
  • FOODBEAST Approved, a product of FOODBEAST, is a series of one-minute videos highlighting incredibly unique food items around the globe.

Additionally, FOODBEAST is producing a mini-documentary series focusing on the flourishing craft brewery scene in Anaheim, featuring OC favorites Noble Ale Works, Bruery Terreux, Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim Brewery, and new kid on the block UnSung Brewery.