Show 225, May 27, 2017: Chef Andrew Gruel’s Tutorial on Pickled Vegetables

Andrew Gruel and his son WilliamPickled vegetables are finding their way on to better restaurant menus as intriguing side dishes and components of entrees.

Our own Chef Andrew offers pickled veggies at his new Butterleaf in Irvine. Pickled veggies are also part of the menus at Two Birds and Slapfish.

We’ll get all the snappy tips and hints from Chef Andrew.

Show 107, January 24, 2015: Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish

Andrew GruelWe now have a chance to catch-up with Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish, today’s Guest Host. You can also see him as a regular judge on the first season of Food Network’s “Food Truck Face Off.” His second Food TV show is already in production. Stay tuned…

Gruel is giving one lucky person the opportunity to contribute their culinary genius to his restaurant menu with a dish named in their honor. Chef Gruel will select three finalists and the public will vote for their favorite dish via social media to select a winner prior to the opening.

In conjunction with the opening of Slapfish’s third Orange County location in Newport Beach on February 2nd, guests are invited to submit their own recipes for a seafood dish to be featured on the new menu. One winner will have their dish on the menu for two months at the Newport Beach location and will be able to eat it for free each time they go to the restaurant.

Also Chef Andrew provides us some very helpful pointers on what to look for when buying farm-raised fish. This will be the basis for a longer, more in-depth segment in the future.

Show 62, February 22, 2013: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris

Chef Jet and Producer Andy preview the show.

Jet Tila and a heritage pig at Cochon 555 in 2013Remember the L.A. tour stop of Cochon USA is Sunday, February 23rd at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica from 4 to 8:00 p.m. Ray Garcia of Fig Restaurant is the host chef (and the defending Prince of Pork.) It’s a celebration of heritage pork raised on family farms. Our own Jet Tila will be there cooking an additional late-night heritage pig (a Kune Kune) for the After-Party.

UNLV in Las Vegas has the most respected hospitality management program in the West. The Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration there joins us to profile the prestigious program. Unusual cuts of beef are finding their way onto fine dining restaurants menus. We’ll be speaking with a meat expert to better understand these cuts. A coffee authority is with us to talk about the current trends in roasting coffee. You’ll also hear about a relatively new contemporary Mediterranean/Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills with an energetic young chef in the kitchen and an exciting pastry chef with impressive credentials. Orange County Restaurant Week launches February 23rd. We’ll have a preview with the GM of one of the classic participating restaurants. Also on the menu is an award-winning and high profile food truck (with an edge) that graduated to opening an even more successful brick and mortar location in an unexpected location.

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

Show 32, June 22, 2013: Chef Tal Ronnen of Crossroads in West Hollywood

Tal Ronnen of Crossroads KitchenChef Tal is the soft-spoken culinary force behind the elegant, Crossroads, in West Hollywood. This is white tablecloth, plant-based fare featuring Mediterranean-influenced small plates.

Chef Tal has cooked for very discriminating celebrities including Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres.

Tal stays away from the politics. If his food is not satisfying to all then he feels he has failed. His mantra is simply to suggest trying a little plant based fare (which is properly prepared) as an addition to your present diet.

Tal Ronnen’s reputation is such that a few years ago when “difficult to please” Las Vegas casino hotel mogul Steve Wynn wanted vegetarian dishes added to all his restaurant menus at both Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Tal was engaged to accomplish this working with superstar celebrity chefs. When the project was done not only was Mr. Wynn pleased but Chef Tal became friends with all the high-profile chefs he worked with at Wynn and they continue to stay in touch.