Show 511, February 4, 2023: Anne Marie Panoringan, Voice of OC’s Food Columnist Part One

Food Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan

Anne Marie Panoringan is Voice of OC’s well-informed food columnist. She reports industry news, current events and trends. The column publishes every other Friday. Anne Marie also contributes regularly to Eater Los Angeles and Travel Costa Mesa

Anne Marie joins us in-studio for her regular bi-monthly visit to talk about her recent visit aboard Princess Cruises’ newest ship, the Discovery Princess. She was part of a select travel media group aboard previewing their newest very special VIP amenity, the fully-immersive “360: An Extraordinary Experience.” It engages all of a guest’s senses with tastes, sights, sounds, touches and fragrances of a visit to the Mediterranean showcasing the spectacular hilltops of Santorini, Almalfi Coast, Barcelona and Provence.

Anne Marie will also share her most recent column suggesting where informed locals like to dine told through the eyes of master baker Dean Kim of OC Baking Company in Orange. His newest discovery is Orange’s Palm Market & Deli. A favorite sandwich there is the Cubini, served hot. “It’s pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles with stone ground mustard and served on potato telera bread.”

Show 370, April 25, 2020: Manager & Partner Andrew Binder, Philippe The Original

Andrew Binder of Phillipe's the OriginalPhilippe’s (Philippe The Original) in Downtown Los Angeles has reopened for takeout and delivery with French Dips, sides and desserts, as well as beer and wine, available to go. Guests can now call the restaurant or order online via ChowNow to place an order for pickup. Delivery options are available from Postmates.”

“Walk-in takeout orders can also be placed. Patrons can wait for their orders in the parking lot where safe social distancing practices are politely enforced.”

“All six of Philippe’s French Dips are on the takeout and delivery menus available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. That includes Beef, Pork, Lamb, Turkey, Pastrami or Ham on a freshly baked French Roll single-dipped, double-dipped or wet with au jus. Swiss, American, Jack, Bleu or Cheddar cheese can be added.”

“Available sides on the limited menu include, Potato and Macaroni Salad, Coleslaw, Pickled Eggs, Beets, Stew, Chili, salad and a variety of desserts from brownies to cheesecake.”

“No breakfast will be available until the restaurant resumes dine-in service after the statewide orders due to the COVID-19 outbreak end or are lifted.”

Manager & Partner Andrew Binder provides all the juicy details. Andrew represents the 4th generation of proud Binder Family ownership.

Show 361, February 22, 2020: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”

Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group at the AM830 KLAA StudiosOur own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group joins us with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment where we respond to listeners’ inquiries. Cashless restaurants are around but don’t seem to be going momentum locally. Is it hospitable to refuse cash?

We’re also reeling-in what bonus ingredients go into making the ultimate Tuna Melt. Does lettuce really have any place in this sandwich?

Show 307, January 19, 2019: Richard Binder, Proprietor, Philippe The Original

Richard BinderPhilippe the Original is doing it again (for the 9th year) with a special promotion. On Tuesday, January 22nd the first 500 people in line at 10:30 a.m. get a free 7 oz. cup of Los Angeles’ own Dolores Chili (a regular $3.25 menu item) with the purchase of a sandwich.

Each cup of chili comes just how you like it; with or without beans, and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, or onions.

The two companies have a relationship built upon time. The 1970’s is when it all began and Dolores Chili is still sold exclusively at Philippe’s. Both establishments have plenty in common being family-owned, Los Angeles-based companies. Dolores has been in business since 1954 and Philippe’s celebrated 110 years in October. Dolores and Philippe’s are run by third and fourth generation family members, respectively, and both are built on the foundation of hard work and core values that make them so enduring.

Dolores Chili is available at Philippe’s daily by the cup or bowl, with or without beans and all the fixings, and is served with a side of crackers. Some French Dip lovers even like to dip or top their sandwich with it.

Richard Binder, representing the 4th generation of Philippe’s family ownership, ladles out the meaty details for us.

Show 220, April 22, 2017: Matt Meddock, Co-Founder, Sessions West Coast Deli, Newport Beach & Huntington Beach

Matt MeddockSandwiches, made from fresh, premium ingredients, have come into their own as serious eats. In Spring 2014, when Sessions West Coast Deli opened its first location in Newport Beach, its owners had one mission: to serve the “best sandwiches to ever hit the lip.” As a neighborhood-casual concept designed to serve its immediate community, Sessions embraces the area’s surf culture as it presents a menu of gourmet, culinary-focused sandwiches in a relaxed environment.

In Summer 2015, Sessions opened its second Orange County location on the waterfront in Huntington Beach. The opening of this location reinforced Sessions’ dedication and commitment to its community by becoming a local hub for surfers, skaters and area beachgoers looking for great sandwiches.

“Unlike most sandwich shops in the region, Sessions proudly boasts a scratch kitchen with housemade sauces, sides, salads, and soups prepared daily. All sandwiches are made to order with fresh, locally grown produce; humanely and naturally raised meats; and locally baked bread delivered daily from local artisan, OC Baking Company. In addition, the restaurant proudly serves a selection of locally roasted coffee beverages from Kean Coffee.”

The two most popular sandwiches are the Summer Zephr and The Meddock Melee. A worthy burger is rumored to be on the way in addition to new locations.

Co-Founder Matt Meddock joins us to get between the bread slices and build a proper sandwich.

Show 217, April 1, 2017: Executive Chef Andrew Gruel

Andrew and William GruelTime to catch-up with our always on the run Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish. He’s been in “Silicon Flats”, Utah opening the first Slapfish located outside of California. Do the locals appreciate fresh seafood in Lehi, Utah? You bet…

Also, a spirited discussion of a controversial topic…the basic Tuna Melt. Seems to be no middle ground in the appreciation (or lack thereof) of this staple item…Thoughts on what appropriately goes into the tuna salad (along with the tuna) and then what’s the perfect bread. You’ll be surprised ?

Show 168, April 23, 2016: Pig Pen Delicacy, 4th Street Market, Santa Ana

Jason TrinhOne of the newest additions (debuted in March) to Santa Ana’s 4th Street Market is Pig Pen Delicacy. It’s a fresh take on American comfort food using an array of sophisticated and modern interpretations of bacon and pork favorites.

The founders of GD Bro Burger (Santa Ana & Signal Hill) were involved in Pig Pen Delicacy’s creation.

Menu highlights include Candied Bacon, Pulled Pork Sandwich and Pork Belly Slider (crispy pork belly, pickled daikon, hoisin sauce and creamy cilantro.)

If you’re doing breakfast you need to have a standout Breakfast Sandwich. Pig Pen’s offering comes with Candied Bacon, Soft Scrambled Eggs, Cheddar Cheese and Banana Ketchup.

Co-owner and Director of Operations Jason Trinh joins us with all the pork-a-licious details.

 

Show 118, April 18, 2015: Executive Chef Greg Daniels, “The Big Cheese” Competition

Greg Daniels of Haven GastropubIn celebration of National Grilled Cheese Month in April Provisions Market (Chef Greg Daniels) and OC Baking Company (Dean Kim) will join forces to once again host The Big Cheese, Orange County’s grilled cheese festival and competition. Event Co-Founder Greg Daniels and his fellow Orange County Chefs will compete for the title of “The Big Cheese” on Monday, April 20th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Provisions Market. All proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to You Are Special, a local nonprofit that operates a food pantry to feed the hungry in the Orange community.

OC Baking Company Master Baker Dean Kim will supply locally produced freshly baked bread to the competing chefs. The competitors will present their own spin on the classic grilled cheese sandwich that festival attendees will sample and then vote on.

This year, the professional chefs will be joined by one ProAm competitor who will be selected by event organizers in an Instagram contest. The winning entry will be announced Sunday, April 19th and the ProAm contender for “The Big Cheese” will participate in the festival on Monday, April 20th.

Chef Greg Daniels (just back from France) of Provisions Market and Haven Gastropub joins us with all the needed 411.

Show 117, April 11, 2015: Executive Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish

Andrew GruelFinally a chance to chat with our patient Guest Host Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish. He really knows seafood.

Chef Andrew will share some useful tips about selecting and preparing lobster. It’s easier to enjoy than its reputation. Chef Andrew will also advise us on what parts of the lobster are best for use in some familiar dishes. This is the continuation of a conversation Chef Andrew started last week.

Lobster Rolls are appearing on a lot of restaurant menus. Everyone, of course, has the “best.” Chef Andrew will give us some background on this delicacy. He grew up on the East Coast where this craveable sandwich originated.

FYI’s new original series, “Say It To My Face!,” gives chefs and restaurant owners a chance to redeem themselves before their toughest online critics. Chef Andrew Gruel is the mentor chef / co-host along with Anthony Dispensa (Chef Andrew’s West Coast Director of Operations for Slapfish.) Fifteen hour-long episodes are set to premiere on Saturday, May 9th .

August 2: Rich Perelman, SYNEK, Slapfish Seafood, James Republic, Fiestas del la Vendimina, OC Fair, Olympic Cuisine

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Richard (Rich) B. Perelman and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Steve Young, Founder, SYNEK
Segment Three: Executive Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish, Huntington Beach and Laguna
Segment Four: Restaurant Chef David MacLennan, James Republic, Long Beach
Segment Five: Javier Plascencia’s “From Farm and Vineyard to Your Table” Dinner
Segment Six: Rich Perelman on The Los Angeles Olympics, 1984
Segment Seven: Bakelogy and The OC Promenade at The OC Fair
Segment Eight: Food Service for the Spectators at The Games of the Twenty-Third Olympiad, Los Angeles

Guest Host Richard (Rich) B. Perelman and Producer Andy preview the show.

It’s our salute to the 30th Anniversary of the Games of the Twenty-Third Olympiad, Los Angeles, 1984. Guest Host Rich Perelman was the youngest Vice President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee responsible for Press Operations and the Editor-in-Chief of the Official Report after the Games. Rich explains the continuing financial legacy to youth sports in Southern California as a direct result of the incredible success of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

SYNEK (a recent Kickstarter success story) is a nifty countertop draft system that serves any beer, fresh from the tap, anywhere you want it. Steve Young, based in St. Louis, MO is the Founder. His modest objective is to do for quality beer what Keurig did for single-brewed cups of coffee. With the phenomenal success of his cleverly orchestrated Kickstarter campaign he’s now well on his way…

Chef Andrew Gruel’s (of Slapfish) mission is to make quality seafood popular with everyday folks. He started with one modest food truck in 2010. It quickly expanded into four food trucks. The first Slapfish brick and mortar restaurant opened in Huntington Beach a year later. Laguna Beach recently launched and more restaurants are in the works.

James Republic in Long Beach orchestrates one of the very best, honest Farm-to-Fork dinner series around. It happens monthly on a Sunday under the name of the Dinner Bell Supper Series. The restaurant’s chef, David MacLennan, joins us with the specifics.

Every year in Northern Baja is the Fiestas del la Vendimina celebrating the bounty of wine and food in the region over a two-week period. One of the best single events is Chef Javier Plascencia’s (Tijuana’s Mision 16) “From Farm and Vineyard to Your Table” dinner at his ranch, Finca Altozano, in Valle de Guadalupe. It’s a 6-course, wine paired feast.

Time to hit the OC Fair in its final week. We’ll hear about Bakeology and all the tasty culinary events in the OC Promenade Building. Also the winning Fair Food item!

As part of our tribute to the Los Angeles Olympics we’ll also be looking back at the food served to the spectators. Surprisingly there was lots more variety to the offerings than plain boiled hot dogs and bagged chips. Innovations in food for 1984 are now part of guest expectations in 2014!

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

Synek SystemSYNEK (a recent Kickstarter success story) is a nifty countertop draft system that serves any beer, fresh from the tap, anywhere you want it. Steve Young, based in St. Louis, MO is the Founder. His modest objective is to do for quality beer what Keurig did for single-brewed cups of coffee. As a result of the inspired, oversubscribed Kickstarter campaign he’s well on his way…

“In 2013, Steve Young started to take notice of the craft beer industry as a stock market analyst. He wanted to know how the craft beer industry was making these great strides and what risk factors could cause it to become a “bubble” like the industry saw in the 1990s.”

He knew the industry was growing with thousands of amazing brands created every week. However, to his surprise, every brewer he spoke with complained about the exact same issue : “We make amazing beer, but we can’t get it into our customers’ homes and make money at the same time. If there was a way to create a growler that maintained our beer’s quality longer than two days, it would change everything.”

“Steve was so moved by the brewers’ intense frustration that he quit his job to assemble the best beer engineering team in the world and implement a solution to this beer packaging epidemic.”

Andrew GruelFood trucks have proven to be a worthwhile testing ground for innovative food concepts. A great example is the fast growing Slapfish with a limited service, fast-casual restaurant in Huntington Beach located in a strip center. A new Laguna Beach location (across Pacific Coast Highway from the beach) launched earlier in the Summer.

The partners started with one modest food truck serving the OC in 2009. By 2011 they had four trucks serving both Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Executive Chef (and co-founder) Andrew Gruel is with us to fill us in on the Slapfish tale. New locations both in the United States (airports, too) and the Middle East are on the way.

They like to characterize Slapfish as a modern seafood shack. It’s a real American seafood experience that revolves around fresh, sustainable fish, prepared simply, but delivering big flavors.

Dave MaclennanJames Republic, located in Downtown Long Beach, organizes one of the very best Farm-to-Fork dinner series around. It happens monthly on a Sunday under the name of the Dinner Bell Supper Series. The proprietor of James Republic, Chef Dean James Max, developed the original concept. The restaurant’s chef, David MacLennan, joins us with the specifics.

On the Sunday morning of The Dinner Bell Supper the culinary team gathers at the Long Beach Farmers Market to search for the ideal ingredients to serve as the basis for that evenings’ family-style supper. For the guests the evening begins with market inspired cocktails and passed canapes at 4:30 p.m. At 5:00 p.m., the dinner bell rings and the guests gather at a long, communal table to enjoy California wines and a bountiful three-course menu prepared by Chefs James Dean Max, Chef David MacLennan and their team. Area guest farmers take part in the engaging dinner conversation. The idea is for former strangers to become friends over a superb meal (with a side of good conversation) without this being forced.

The August 24th dinner is sold out. Future dates are September 14th, October 26th, and November 23rd.

Every year in Northern Baja is the Fiestas de la Vendimina (The Harvest Festival) celebrating the bounty of wine and food in the region over a two-week period. The Festival gives thanks and celebrates the beginning of a (hoped for) bountiful grape harvest.

Javier PlascenciaOne of the best single events is Chef Javier Plascencia’s (Tijuana’s Mision 19) “From Farm and Vineyard to Your Table” dinner at his ranch, Finca Altozano, in Valle de Guadalupe. It’s a 6-course, wine paired feast.

Prominent guest chefs from Southern California and Mexico are part of the culinary team. This year Ori Menashe from Bestia and Timothy Hollingsworth (The Restaurant at The Broad & ex-French Laundry chef de cuisine ) will be part of Chef Javier’s high-profile guest chefs’ team.

Chef Plascencia has been featured on Food TV with both Anthony Bourdain and “Bizarre Foods’” Andrew Zimmern.

For info please contact Chef Javier’s assistant, Diana Jimenez.

Rich PerelmanIt’s our salute to the 30th Anniversary of the Games of the Twenty-Third Olympiad, Los Angeles,1984. Our Guest Host, Rich Perelman, was the youngest Vice President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee responsible for Press Operations and the Editor-in-Chief of the Official Report after the Games. Rich explains the continuing financial legacy to youth sports in Southern California as a direct result of the incredible success of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Every Olympic Organizing Committee is mandated by the International Olympic Committee to document their Games in the Official report. It’s two volumes. One volume is a comprehensive recipe on how the Games were produced with some analysis. The other volume is the complete results and photos.

Rich Perelman was the Editor-in-Chief of the Official Report for the Los Angeles Games. The finished, two-volume report is 1,552 pages and weighs in at 38 lbs ! A full-time staff of 25 was responsible for the effort on a budget of some $4.33 million.

Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery and the CampTime to hit the OC Fair in Costa Mesa in its final week. Food is always front row center!

We’ll hear about Bakeology and all the other tasty culinary events in the OC Promenade Building.

Rachel Klemek of the award-winning Blackmarket Bakery in Costa Mesa is programming Bakeology at the Fair. Rachel and her staff are mixing, kneading, whipping and blending at the Bakeology exhibit in the Culinary Arts Building (The OC Promenade) at the Fair.

Also with us is the Fair’s Communications Director ,Robin Wachner. Robin will fill us in on all the Culinary activities in the OC Promenade Building.

We’ll also talk about the top vendor food item at this year’s Fair. 70 entrants competed and there was one big winner! Unbelievably it’s not even deep-fried!

Vegetarian PitaWe’re back to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and now talking about the food for the spectators.

Peter Ueberroth, the architect of The Games, wanted there to be more variety and freshness in the food available for purchase by the spectators at the Los Angeles Olympics than typically found in sports facilities of the day.

While common today 30 years ago it was unusual to see some of these items. Fresh fruit cups were on the menu as well as yogurt. Among the fresh sandwiches on the menu was the choice of a Vegetarian Pita. In addition to the usual ice cream novelties there was a place for natural Frozen Fruit Bars.

Food and beverage sales for the 16 days totaled over $11 million dollars. 5.8 million guests were served!

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Richard (Rich) B. Perelman and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Steve Young, Founder, SYNEK
Segment Three: Executive Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish, Huntington Beach and Laguna
Segment Four: Restaurant Chef David MacLennan, James Republic, Long Beach
Segment Five: Javier Plascencia’s “From Farm and Vineyard to Your Table” Dinner
Segment Six: Rich Perelman on The Los Angeles Olympics, 1984
Segment Seven: Bakelogy and The OC Promenade at The OC Fair
Segment Eight: Food Service for the Spectators at The Games of the Twenty-Third Olympiad, Los Angeles