Show 1055, January 10, 2015: Show Preview with Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

Producer and Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s highly caloric (but virtually guilt-free) show

Foie GrasFoie gras, a fine-dining delicacy, has been missed in California restaurants since 2012. A Federal judicial ruling now permits foie gras produced outside of California to be served in restaurants again. We’ll have a tantalizing update with Chef Kris Morningstar of Terrine in Los Angeles…On Monday, Jan. 12th he served a special multi-course “Welcome Back” foie gras menu starting with a foie gras terrine.

The first West Coast outpost of New York’s beloved burger, hot dog and frozen custard stand, Shake Shack, launched in Las Vegas at the end of last year. Shake Shack has a passionate, cult following in the East mirroring the affection Californians have for In -N-Out Burger. It’s located on The Strip in a highly visible spot adjacent to The Park at the foot of New York-New York Hotel & Casino. Mark Rosati, Shake Shack’s Culinary Director, is with us serving up all the juicy details.

Chef Philip Tessier and his young Commis, Skylar Stover, of Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, CA are going for the gold in 2015. The pair is the newest Bocuse d’Or USA Team, representing the nation at the World Cooking Contest in Lyon, France on January 27th and 28th. Often described as the “Culinary Olympics,” the Bocuse d’Or (staged every other year) is among the most demanding international cooking competitions, pitting chefs from twenty-four countries against one another in an intense five and a half hour, two-part cooking challenge in front of thousands of cheering fans. Team USA joins us on the road to Lyon.

Chef Neal Fraser (bld and Fritzi Dog) and his wife and business partner, Amy Knoll Fraser, have had their eye on Downtown Los Angeles since before they closed Grace in the Fairfax District in 2009. Their first move was to become one of the official caterers for Vibiana, the home of L.A.’s former historic Catholic Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Vibiana) dating back to 1876 and now a busy special events space. Eventually they moved their catering kitchen to the site and became the official solo caterers for the facility. Redbird (a partnership with restaurateur Bill Chait) is their new, eagerly anticipated “New American” fine-dining space located on one floor of the former Rectory building (built in the late 1930s.) Amy Knoll Fraser is our guest.

First-time cookbook authors and cookware experts Logan Levant (ex- Buttercake Bakery) and Hilary Hattenbach have penned The Kitchen Decoded – Tools, Tricks, and Recipes for Great Food. The handy new book unravels the mystery of home kitchen equipment and saves the home cook countless hours. The Kitchen Decoded takes the mystery and intimidation out of gadgets and shows how proper cookware can actually streamline the cooking process. Co-author Logan Levant is our helpful guide.

Members of Chef Michael Puglisi’s immediate family in Sicily are well-known Old World artisan butchers. Very soon Chef Puglisi will be using those skills at his own Electric City Butcher Shop which is a major component of Santa Ana’s much –anticipated (and talked about) 4th Street Market food emporium. Puglisi was previously the sous chef of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills. On Friday, January 16th Chef Puglisi is hosting an elaborate, multi-course pop-up dinner at Playground 2.0, an intimate 17-seat exhibition culinary theater in Santa Ana steps away from the soon-to-be 4th Street Market.

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

Show 105, January 10, 2015: Logan Levant, author, The Kitchen Decoded

Logan LevantFirst-time cookbook authors and cookware experts Logan Levant (ex-Buttercake Bakery) and Hilary Hattenbach have penned The Kitchen Decoded – Tools, Tricks, and Recipes for Great Food. The handy new book unravels the mystery of home kitchen equipment and saves the home cook countless hours.

The Kitchen Decoded takes the mystery and intimidation out of gadgets and shows how proper cookware can actually streamline the cooking process. The key lies in breaking down the best tools for each task.

Chapters are organized by gadget, and each tool is paired accordingly with instructions and an arsenal of time-tested recipes. Featured equipment ranges from high end tools like the KitchenAid stand mixer to low-tech gadgets like the Microplane and cookie sheets.

Logan Levant, owner of Los Angeles’ famous Buttercake Bakery (now departed) for ten years, spent countless hours showing friends how to use the kitchen tools they received as gifts. With a self-taught passion for cooking and baking, Levant’s tasty recipes made Buttercake the go-to bakery on Los Angeles’ Westside for a decade.

Recipes for many of Buttercake Bakery’s most popular items are in the book including the signature Lemon Bars and Coffee Cake!

Co-author Logan Levant is our helpful guide.

January 10: Kris Morningstar on the return of Foie Gras, Shake Shack, French Laundry, Redbird, The Kitchen Decoded, Electric City Butcher

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Mark Rosati, Culinary Director, Shake Shack Part One
Segment Three: Mark Rosati, Culinary Director, Shake Shack Part Two
Segment Four: Chefs Philip Tessier and Skylar Stover, Bocuse d’Or USA Team Part One
Segment Five: Chefs Philip Tessier and Skylar Stover, Bocuse d’Or USA Team Part Two
Segment Six: Amy Knoll Fraser, Redbird at Vibiana
Segment Seven: Logan Levant, author, The Kitchen Decoded
Segment Eight: Chef Michael Puglisi, Electric City Butcher Shop

Producer and Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s highly caloric (but virtually guilt-free) show

Foie GrasFoie gras, a fine-dining delicacy, has been missed in California restaurants since 2012. A judicial ruling now permits foie gras produced outside of California to be served in restaurants again. We’ll have a tantalizing update…

The first West Coast outpost of New York’s beloved burger, hot dog and frozen custard stand, Shake Shack, launched in Las Vegas at the end of last year. Shake Shack has a passionate, cult following in the East mirroring the affection Californians have for In -N-Out Burger. It’s located on The Strip in a highly visible spot adjacent to The Park at the foot of New York-New York Hotel & Casino. Mark Rosati, Shake Shack’s Culinary Director, is with us serving up all the juicy details.

Chef Philip Tessier and his young Commis, Skylar Stover, of Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, CA are going for the gold in 2015. The pair is the newest Bocuse d’Or USA Team, representing the nation at the World Cooking Contest in Lyon, France on January 27th and 28th. Often described as the “Culinary Olympics,” the Bocuse d’Or (staged every other year) is among the most demanding international cooking competitions, pitting chefs from twenty-four countries against one another in an intense five and a half hour, two-part cooking challenge in front of thousands of cheering fans. Team USA joins us on the road to Lyon.

Chef Neal Fraser (bld and Fritzi Dog) and his wife and business partner, Amy Knowl Fraser, have had their eye on Downtown Los Angeles since before they closed Grace in the Fairfax District in 2009. Their first move was to become one of the official caterers for Vibiana, the home of L.A.’s former historic Catholic Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Vibiana) dating back to 1876 and now a busy special events space.

Eventually they moved their catering kitchen to the site and became the official solo caterers for the facility. Redbird (a partnership with restaurateur Bill Chait) is their new, eagerly anticipated “New American” fine-dining space located on one floor of the former Rectory building (built in the early 1940’s.) Amy Knoll Fraser is our guest.

First-time cookbook authors and cookware experts Logan Levant (ex- Buttercake Bakery) and Hilary Hattenbach have penned The Kitchen Decoded – Tools, Tricks, and Recipes for Great Food. The handy new book unravels the mystery of home kitchen equipment and saves the home cook countless hours. The Kitchen Decoded takes the mystery and intimidation out of gadgets and shows how proper cookware can actually streamline the cooking process. Co-author Logan Levant is our helpful guide.

Members of Chef Michael Puglisi’s immediate family in Sicily are well-known Old World artisan butchers. Very soon Chef Puglisi will be using those skills at his own Electric City Butcher Shop which is a major component of Santa Ana’s much –anticipated (and talked about) 4th Street Market emporium. Puglisi was previously the sous chef of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills. On Friday, January 16th Chef Puglisi is hosting an elaborate, multi-course pop-up dinner at Playground 2.0, an intimate 17-seat exhibition culinary theater in Santa Ana steps away from the soon-to-be 4th Street Market.

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

Mark Rosati of Shake ShackThe first West Coast outpost of New York’s beloved burger, hot dog and frozen custard stand, Shake Shack, launched in Las Vegas at the end of last year. Shake Shack has a passionate, cult following in the East mirroring the affection Californians have for In -N-Out Burger. It’s located on The Strip in a highly visible spot with lots of foot traffic adjacent to The Park at the foot of New York-New York Hotel & Casino.

Founded by famed restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), Shake Shack is a critically acclaimed, modern day “roadside” burger stand known for 100 per cent all-natural Angus beef burgers, grilled-crisp flat-top hot dogs, fresh-made frozen custard, crinkle cut fries, craft beer and wine, and more. It’s a fun, lively, fine-casual restaurant with widespread appeal.

Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park, it now has multiple locations across the U.S., including New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, DC, and international locations including London, Istanbul, Dubai, and others.

Mark Rosati, Shake Shack’s Culinary Director, is with us serving up all the juicy details.

The Las Vegas Shack features an expansive outdoor patio prominently overlooking The Strip. Capturing the essence and origins of Shake Shack, which was born in New York City’s Madison Square Park in 2004, the restaurant will also neighbor a future park environment developed by MGM Resorts International. The Park, the first of its kind on the Las Vegas Strip, will feature dining pavilions and performance spaces complemented by areas for quiet relaxation.

In addition to all the Shack favorites, the Las Vegas menu celebrates the glitz and over-the-top energy of the city with exclusive menu items. The Las Vegas Shack’s location-specific frozen custard concretes include: All Shook Up (vanilla frozen custard and chocolate toffee bits blended with a slice of banana peanut butter cheesecake from local bakery Gimme Some Sugar) and Jackpot (vanilla frozen custard, Belgian waffles, strawberry puree, marshmallow sauce and rainbow sprinkles.)

Philip Tessier and Skylar StoverChef Philip Tessier and his young Commis, Skylar Stover, of Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, CA are going for the gold in 2015. The pair is the newest Bocuse d’Or USA Team, representing the nation at the World Cooking Contest in Lyon, France on January 27th and 28th. Often described as the “Culinary Olympics,” the Bocuse d’Or (staged every other year) is among the most demanding international cooking competitions, pitting chefs from twenty-four countries against one another in an intense five and a half hour cooking challenge in front of thousands of cheering fans.

Leading the rigorous training program – which requires the level of dedication seen in professional athletes – is Team USA Head Coach (and former Bocuse d’Or competitor) Chef Gavin Kaysen (ex-Café Boulud, New York.) Alongside Kaysen will be Coaches Chef Grant Achatz (Alienea and Next, Chicago, IL), Chef Gabriel Kreuther (formerly of The Modern, New York, NY), and Chef Richard Rosendale (formerly of The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV and the 2013 Bocuse d’Or competitor for the USA), as well as The Foundation’s (ment’or BKB Foundation) Board of Directors, Chefs Jerome Bocuse, Daniel Boulud, and Thomas Keller.

Team USA 2015 joins us on the road to Lyon.

Skyler Stover and Philip Tessier oif Bocuse  D'Or Team USAThe ment’or BKB Foundation’s Board of Directors and Management selected Tessier and Stover to compete based on their dedication to the craft, experience working in precise and innovative kitchens, technical expertise, and their steadfast desire to place USA on the podium in 2015.

“I’ve followed the Bocuse d’Or closely for years, and was inspired to apply after my trip to watch the competition in Lyon in January of 2013,” says Tessier. “It was there I realized that the Bocuse d’Or is not an individual competition – it is in the strength of the team that success and victory lie. It’s not just about preparing the dishes; it’s about impacting the perception of American chefs and our country on the worldwide stage. I want to unite the US in that common goal.”

Tessier currently sereves as Executive Sous Chef at The French Laundry. Stover is currently the Chef de Partie at The French Laundry.

Neal and Amy Knoll FraserChef Neal Fraser (bld and Fritzi Dog at the Original Farmers Market) and his wife and business partner, Amy Knoll Fraser, have had their eye on Downtown Los Angeles since before they closed Grace in the Fairfax District in 2009. Their first move was to become one of the official caterers for Vibiana, the home of L.A.’s former historic Catholic Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Vibiana) dating back to 1876 and now a busy special events and performing arts space.

Eventually they moved their catering kitchen to the site and became the official solo caterers for the facility. Redbird (a partnership with restaurateur Bill Chait) is their new, eagerly anticipated “New American” fine-dining space located on one floor of the former Rectory building (built in the early 1940’s.) The space has been artfully restored and renovated keeping as many of the distinctive historical elements intact as possible.

The main dining room is actually a cleverly designed atrium space that has been weatherized for all-season indoor dining. The appealing long bar is actually two-sided. One side faces the dining area and the other side (with a marble bar) fronts the entrance reception area and lounge. It’s dinner only for the moment with lunch and brunch to follow soon.

The entrance (and valet parking drop) is located on the Second St. side of the building.

Amy Knoll Fraser is our guest.

Logan LevantFirst-time cookbook authors and cookware experts Logan Levant (ex-Buttercake Bakery) and Hilary Hattenbach have penned The Kitchen Decoded – Tools, Tricks, and Recipes for Great Food. The handy new book unravels the mystery of home kitchen equipment and saves the home cook countless hours.

The Kitchen Decoded takes the mystery and intimidation out of gadgets and shows how proper cookware can actually streamline the cooking process. The key lies in breaking down the best tools for each task.

Chapters are organized by gadget, and each tool is paired accordingly with instructions and an arsenal of time-tested recipes. Featured equipment ranges from high end tools like the KitchenAid stand mixer to low-tech gadgets like the Microplane and cookie sheets.

Logan Levant, owner of Los Angeles’ famous Buttercake Bakery (now departed) for ten years, spent countless hours showing friends how to use the kitchen tools they received as gifts. With a self-taught passion for cooking and baking, Levant’s tasty recipes made Buttercake the go-to bakery on Los Angeles’ Westside for a decade.

Co-author Logan Levant is our helpful guide.

Michael PuglisiMembers of Chef Michael Puglisi’s immediate family in Sicily are well-known Old World artisan butchers. Very soon Chef Puglisi will be using those skills at his own Electric City Butcher Shop which is a major component of Santa Ana’s much –anticipated (and talked about) 4th Street Market food emporium. Puglisi was previously the sous chef of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills.

On Friday, January 16th Chef Puglisi is hosting an elaborate, multi-course pop-up dinner at Playground 2.0, an intimate 17-seat exhibition culinary theater in Santa Ana steps away from the soon-to-be 4th Street Market. Puglisi is a nose-to-tail chef. One special course will be braised lamb tongues.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Mark Rosati, Culinary Director, Shake Shack Part One
Segment Three: Mark Rosati, Culinary Director, Shake Shack Part Two
Segment Four: Chefs Philip Tessier and Skylar Stover, Bocuse d’Or USA Team Part One
Segment Five: Chefs Philip Tessier and Skylar Stover, Bocuse d’Or USA Team Part Two
Segment Six: Amy Knoll Fraser, Redbird at Vibiana
Segment Seven: Logan Levant, author, The Kitchen Decoded
Segment Eight: Chef Michael Puglisi, Electric City Butcher Shop