Show 101, December 13, 2014: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris

Andy Harris at the KLAA StudiosProducer and occasional Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s abundant show…

Urban Seoul is one of the 20 plus distinctive dining destinations in the Diamond Jamboree in Irvine. It’s an energetic restaurant that celebrates passion for food and its remarkable ability to adapt. The food is mostly a creative mash-up of Korean and Mexican flavors. The highly successful concept was created by Orange County restaurateur Bronnie Lee and Chef Kacy Jun. Chef Jun is our guest.

P Moss is a tiki historian and acclaimed fiction author who also owns the legendary Double Down Saloons in Las Vegas and New York City as well as the popular Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas. Frankie’s Tiki Room is the world’s only 24/7 tiki bar, known for its blend of Polynesian tradition with a hint of Las Vegas kitsch, welcoming ambience and one-of-a-kind tropical drinks that draw tiki aficionados from all over the world. These magical libations have now been poured into a book format. 77 previously secret recipes, stunning photography and illustrations are included in the newly released, Liquid Vacation.

P Moss pulls out the little cocktail umbrellas for us.

Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone’s Maude in Beverly Hills was the Best New Restaurant of the Year for both LA Weekly and Eater L.A.

Every month there is a new theme ingredient around which a 9-course tasting menu is created. It’s only 7 tables and 25 seats with an open kitchen. General Manager and Wine Director Ben Aviram joins us to take us through the extraordinary dining experience at Maude.

Chef Vic Vegas last joined us to discuss his new restaurant in Henderson, NV, Café V. He’s now hosting (along with Laila Ali) “Late Nite Chef Fight” on FYI on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. Based on the real after hours’ chef competition (originally created by local culinary personality Jolenne Mannina) that takes place in Las Vegas, each episode of “Late Nite Chef Fight” has two leading, Vegas-based chefs competing against each other in a food truck they have never stepped foot inside before.

ChaCha’s Latin Kitchen in Brea is kicking off its Third Annual Toy Drive to benefit local families in need. Guests are encouraged to drop off a new unwrapped toy at Cha Cha’s in exchange for a $15 certificate good toward the Flamenco Sunday Brunch to be redeemed in The New Year. Co-owner (and veteran restaurateur) Don Myers has all the details.

A festive new taco has arrived at Mercadito at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas as part of Mercadito Hospitality’s national Tacos for Strength Campaign. This December, Mercadito will feature a winter-inspired taco created by James Beard Award finalist and Michelin Star award-winning chef Paul Virant of Vie and Perennial Virant in Chicago.A portion of the proceeds will go to Share Our Strength. Mercadito at Red Rock Resort opened mid-summer. Executive Chef & Owner Patricio Sandoval is our guest.

Eric Klein is the Executive Chef and Partner at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Las Vegaslocated in the Forum Shops, his first fine-dining restaurant in Las Vegas. It led the way for other prominent fine-dining chefs to establish destination restaurants in Las Vegas. Chef Eric has been the highly visible face of Spago Las Vegas since 2007. Spago is now celebrating their 22nd anniversary with a throwback menu (think Smoked Salmon Pizza) and retro prices from December 15th through 19th.

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

 

Show 101, December 13, 2014: Chef Vic Vegas and “Late Night Chef Fight”

Vic VegasChef Vic Vegas last joined us to discuss his new restaurant in Henderson, NV, Café V.

He’s now hosting (along with Laila Ali) “Late Nite Chef Fight” on FYI on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. Based on the real after hours’ chef competition (originally created by local culinary personality Jolenne Mannina) that takes place in Las Vegas, each episode of “Late Nite Chef Fight” has two leading, Vegas-based chefs competing against each other in a food truck they have never stepped foot inside before.

Using a diverse and exotic range of unfamiliar ingredients left behind in the food trucks, the chefs create three unique dishes in three fast-paced rounds.

For each finale the dishes are judged by two rotating celebrity chef judges. In addition, Jolenne Mannina leads a panel of two regular folks. Their consensus on the two competing dishes gets a full vote in the final decision of the winning chef.

Vic Vegas, a self-taught restaurant chef, worked his way up the culinary ladder from dishwasher to Executive Chef at several Las Vegas hotels including Rumor, Hard Rock Hotel and The Sahara House of Lords to mention just a few.

December 13: Urban Seoul, P Moss, Maude, Vic Vegas, Patricio Sandoval, Eric Klein

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Urban Seoul Borderless Kitchen
Segment Three: Frankie’s Tiki Room
Segment Four: Chef Curtis Stone’s Maude
Segment Five: Chef Vic Vegas and “Late Night Chef Fight”
Segment Six: ChaCha’s Latin Kitchen’s Toy Drive
Segment Seven: Mercadito Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas
Segment Eight: Spago Las Vegas

Andy Harris at the KLAA StudiosProducer and occasional Co-Host Andy Harris is going solo in the host chair this morning. Now a preview of today’s feast…

Urban Seoul is one of the 20 plus distinctive dining destinations in the Diamond Jamboree in Irvine. It’s an energetic restaurant that celebrates passion for food and its remarkable ability to adapt. The food is mostly a creative mash-up of Korean and Mexican flavors. The highly successful concept was created by Orange County restaurateur Bronnie Lee and Chef Kacy Jun. Chef Jun is our guest.

P Moss is a tiki historian and acclaimed fiction author who also owns the legendary Double Down Saloons in Las Vegas and New York City as well as the popular Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas. Frankie’s Tiki Room is the world’s only 24/7 tiki bar, known for its blend of Polynesian tradition with a hint of Las Vegas kitsch, welcoming ambience and one-of-a-kind tropical drinks that draw tiki aficionados from all over the world. These magical libations have now been poured into a book format. 77 previously secret recipes, stunning photography and illustrations are included in the newly released, Liquid Vacation.

P Moss pulls out the little cocktail umbrellas for us.

Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone’s Maude in Beverly Hills was the Best New Restaurant of the Year for both Los Angeles Weekly and Eater L.A.

Every month there is a new theme ingredient around which an elaborate 9-course tasting menu is created. It’s only 7 tables and 25 seats with an open kitchen. General Manager and Wine Director Ben Aviram joins us to take us through the extraordinary dining experience at Maude.

Chef Vic Vegas last was with us to discuss his new restaurant in Henderson, NV, Café V. He’s now hosting (along with Laila Ali) “Late Nite Chef Fight” on FYI on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. Based on the real after hours’ chef competition (originally created by local culinary personality Jolenne Mannina) that takes place in Las Vegas, each episode of “Late Nite Chef Fight” has two leading, Vegas-based chefs competing against each other in a food truck they have never stepped foot inside before.

ChaCha’s Latin Kitchen in Brea is kicking off its Third Annual Toy Drive to benefit local families in need. Guests are encouraged to drop off a new unwrapped toy at Cha Cha’s in exchange for a $15 certificate toward the Flamenco Sunday Brunch to be redeemed in The New Year. Co-owner (and veteran restaurateur) Don Myers has all the details.

A festive new taco is coming to Mercadito at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas as part of Mercadito Hospitality’s national Tacos for Strength Campaign. This December, Mercadito will feature a winter-inspired taco created by James Beard Award finalist and Michelin Star award-winning chef Paul Virant of Vie and Perennial Virant in Chicago. A portion of the proceeds will go to Share Our Strength. Mercadito at Red Rock Resort opened mid-summer. Executive Chef & Owner Patricio Sandoval is our guest.

Eric Klein is the Executive Chef and Partner at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Las Vegas located in the Forum Shops, his first fine-dining restaurant in Las Vegas. It led the way for other prominent fine-dining chefs to establish destination restaurants in Las Vegas. Chef Eric has been the highly visible face of Spago Las Vegas since 2007. Spago is now celebrating their 22nd anniversary with a throwback menu (think Smoked Salmon Pizza) and retro prices from December 15th through 19th.

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

Kacy Jun of Urban SeoulUrban Seoul is one of the 20 plus distinctive dining destinations in the Diamond Jamboree in Irvine. It’s an energetic restaurant that celebrates passion for food and its remarkable ability to adapt. The food is mostly a creative mash-up of Korean and Mexican flavors. The highly successful concept was created by Orange County restaurateur Bronnie Lee and Chef Kacy Jun.

Chef Jun is our guest.

Brad A. Johnson, the fare-reaching restaurant critic for The Orange County Register, is a big fan of their Chorizo Kimchi Fried Rice. It’s chorizo, pork belly, pickled red onions, kimchi, garlic, rice and a sunny side up egg.

P MossP Moss is a tiki historian and acclaimed fiction author who also owns the legendary Double Down Saloons in Las Vegas and New York City as well as the popular Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas. Frankie’s Tiki Room is the world’s only 24/7 tiki bar, known for its blend of Polynesian tradition with a hint of Las Vegas kitsch, welcoming ambience and one-of-a-kind tropical drinks that draw tiki aficionados from all over the world.

These magical libations have now been “poured” into a book format. 77 previously secret recipes, stunning photography and illustrations are included in the newly released, Liquid Vacation – 77 Refreshing Tropical Drinks from Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas.

“All of us need a break now and then, whether it’s from the stress of everyday life or the boredom that comes from routine. You’ll find Liquid Vacation, a colorful, sometimes wild walk through the tiki culture in Las Vegas, from the early days of the Stardust Hotel to the present as it’s embodied by Frankie’s Tiki Room, located just minutes from the famous Strip.”

Author P Moss is here to walk us through the swaying palms, whispering bamboo and rustling grass skirts of the tiki world.

Ben Aviram of Maude RestaurantCelebrity Chef Curtis Stone’s (Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” and Food Network’s “Kitchen Inferno”) Maude in Beverly Hills was the Best New Restaurant of the Year for both LA Weekly and Eater L.A.

Every month there is a new theme ingredient around which a totally original, 9-course tasting menu is created. December is “Winter Squash.” The monthly ingredient themes for 2015 are already posted on Maude’s Website. Because it’s so small you politely advised to make your reservation well in advance. It’s only 7 tables and 25 seats with an open kitchen. There is a carefully considered wine pairing option available, too.

General Manager and Wine Director Ben Aviram joins us to take us through the extraordinary dining experience at Maude.

Vic VegasChef Vic Vegas last joined us to discuss his new restaurant in Henderson, NV, Café V.

He’s now hosting (along with Laila Ali) “Late Nite Chef Fight” on FYI on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. Based on the real after hours’ chef competition (originally created by local culinary personality Jolenne Mannina) that takes place in Las Vegas, each episode of “Late Nite Chef Fight” has two leading, Vegas-based chefs competing against each other in a food truck they have never stepped foot inside before.

Using a diverse and exotic range of unfamiliar ingredients left behind in the food trucks, the chefs create three unique dishes in three fast-paced rounds.

Vic Vegas, a self-taught restaurant chef, worked his way up the culinary ladder from dishwasher to Executive Chef at several Las Vegas hotels including Rumor, Hard Rock Hotel and The Sahara House of Lords to mention just a few.

Don MyersChaCha’s Latin Kitchen in Brea is kicking off its Third Annual Toy Drive to benefit local families in need. Guests are encouraged to drop off a new unwrapped toy at Cha Cha’s in exchange for a $15 certificate toward the Flamenco Sunday Brunch to be redeemed in The New Year.

Once all the toys are collected and wrapped, Cha Cha’s hosts a special evening for those grateful recipient families that includes a meal featuring signature dishes. Each year, over fifty guests get to enjoy a very touching evening that concludes with a visit from a very loyal guest of Cha Cha’s (Santa Claus) who spends time passing out gifts to the appreciative children.

Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen features a California – Latin inspired menu that adapts the culinary heritage of Mexico and Latin America to a fresh modern style. The highlight of the open kitchen is the wood-fired oven.

Co-owner (and veteran restaurateur) Don Myers has all the details.

Patricio SandovalA festive new taco is coming to Mercadito at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas as part of Mercadito Hospitality’s national Tacos for Strength Campaign. This December, Mercadito will feature a winter-inspired taco created by James Beard Award finalist and Michelin Star award-winning chef Paul Virant of Vie and Perennial Virant in Chicago. A portion of the proceeds will go to Share Our Strength.

Mercadito at Red Rock Resort opened with great anticipation among savvy locals mid-summer. Drawing from culinary experiences in Mexican Markets, Mercadito features a wide variety of creative tacos made with handmade corn masa tortillas, guacamoles, refreshing ceviche and classic dishes like enchiladas and chile rellenos.

Executive Chef & Owner Patricio Sandoval is our guest.

Eric KleinEric Klein is the Executive Chef and Partner at Wolfgang Puck’s celebrated Spago Las Vegas located in the Forum Shops, his first fine-dining restaurant in Las Vegas. It led the way for other prominent fine-dining chefs to establish destination restaurants in Las Vegas. Celebrity Chef restaurants in Las Vegas (typically located on The Strip) are now the norm.

Chef Eric has been the highly visible face of Spago Las Vegas since 2007. The adjacent more casual Café, has a people-watching view of the throngs of shoppers navigating the Forum Shops. He supervised the successful remodeling and refreshing of the classic restaurant.

Spago is now celebrating their 22nd anniversary with a throwback menu (think Smoked Salmon Pizza) and retro prices from December 15th through 19th.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Urban Seoul Borderless Kitchen
Segment Three: Frankie’s Tiki Room
Segment Four: Chef Curtis Stone’s Maude
Segment Five: Chef Vic Vegas and “Late Night Chef Fight”
Segment Six: ChaCha’s Latin Kitchen’s Toy Drive
Segment Seven: Mercadito Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas
Segment Eight: Spago Las Vegas

Show 28, May 11, 2013: Chef Vic Vegas, chef/proprietor of Vic’s restaurant in Anthem, NV, a suburb of Henderson

Vic VegasIf you saw Season 5 of Food Network’s “Food Network Star” then you surely know Chef Vic Vegas. You’d think he was a native of Brooklyn but it was actually Staten Island. He grew up loving his Mother’s authentic Italian-American cooking and mastered her recipes. From there Las Vegas called and he steadily worked up the culinary ladder to the level of executive chef.

Vic’s is perched on a hilltop with panoramic views of Las Vegas seen through floor-to-ceiling windows. He likes to call it country club cool meets rock ‘n’ roll. It’s already a local scene for brunch on the weekends!

The menu is American comfort food with Vic’s distinctive flair. He appreciates Jewish deli food so in that spirit he created Knish Sliders made with grilled pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, on a potato stuffed roll and served with stone ground mustard.

How about a twist on Grandma’s meatloaf? Vic took that family recipe as the base then wrapped the meatloaf in a won-ton skin, deep fried to a golden crisp and served with pan gravy and ketchup aioli.

In the greater Las Vegas area Vic Vegas comes to you with “The Art of Catering by Vic Vegas.”

May 11: Cochon 555, Jenn Stoker, Kedric Francis, Vic Vegas, Brandon Boudet

Podcasts

Segment One: Chef Jet Tila
Segment Two: Chef Jennifer Stoker the Chicago-based author of She Cooks, She Scores: The Steamy Stories Behind the Recipes
Segment Three: Kedric Francis, Executive Editor of Coast (monthly) as well as the co-founding editor of the new OC Register Magazine (appearing twice monthly with the Monday edition of the Orange County Register.) Part One
Segment Four: Kedric Francis, Executive Editor of Coast (monthly) as well as the co-founding editor of the new OC Register Magazine (appearing twice monthly with the Monday edition of the Orange County Register.) Part Two
Segment Five: Chef Vic Vegas, chef/proprietor of Vic’s restaurant in Anthem, NV, a suburb of Henderson
Segment Six: Chef Brandon Boudet, Executive chef and co-proprietor of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and Tom Bergin’s

Incredible food with a lot of variety is on the menu for this week. It’s pork, a taste of Chicago, a dine-around in the OC, crawfish broil with New Orleans seasoning and inspiration, and yummy Venezuelan food hidden in plain sight in Las Vegas! Bring it on…

Chef Jet Tila host of the SoCal Restaurant ShowLast Sunday our own Chef Jet competed as one of five esteemed teams in the highly competitive Los Angeles stop of the 5th Anniversary tour of Cochon 555. It’s intense…

Each selected chef was tasked with creating five original dishes using all parts of a Heritage pig. The winner was decided by a team of 20 judges and the votes of the 400 pork-loving attendees.

The winning Los Angeles team now moves on to the National Finals in Aspen on June 16th as part of the celebrated Aspen Food & Wine Classic.

Jet will share his ringside observations on the competition.

 

 

Jenn StokerChef Jenn Stoker is a Chicago-based personal chef and graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

Along the way she has perfected some fun recipes and interesting relationships. She has put all of this into her book, She Cooks, She Scores: A Satisfying Collection of Tastes and Tales.

Here’s what a reviewer had to say : “This accomplished chef and author has combined her talents and life experiences to bring us along her life journey with an inside look at her passion for cooking, life, and love.”

“Most Cookbooks are technical and without any flavor. Chef Jenn breaks it down as if you are in the kitchen with her. She doesn’t stop there! She turns the heat up a little with recipes that were inspired by ex-boyfriends! Mamma Mia!“

Perceptive journalist and veteran editor Kedric Francis has been on the Orange County scene for seventeen years. He is currently the Executive Editor of Coast (monthly) as well as the co-founding editor of the new OC Register Magazine. Previously he was the founding editor-in-chief of Riviera as well as Riviera San Diego.

Kedric is going to share his perspective on the dining out scene in Orange County as compared to dining out in Los Angeles County. He’s also discussing the differences he notes in restaurant criticism in each area.

It’s voting time for the best restaurants section in the OC Register’s annual Best of OC publication. Reader/public voting is on now through the end of May.

Vic VegasMany of you may remember the name Vic Vegas from a recent season of the popular Food Network series, Food Network Star. Vic originally looked like a weird MMA fighter turned chef, but it turned out he’s really a Mama’s Boy from Jersey with some great Italian recipes.

Fast forward two years, and now Vic has his own restaurant, aptly titled Vic’s, in the Las Vegas suburb of Anthem, Nevada. It’s only been open two months and it already has a great following.

Vic will share his experiences of opening the new restaurant, what’s on the menu and what he thinks about the upcoming season of Food Network Star, about to hit the airwaves in just a couple of weeks.

Brandon Boudet of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and Tom Bergin’sNew Orleans native, Chef Brandon Boudet, is the co-owner of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and Tom Bergin’s.

On Saturday, May 18th and May 25th from Noon to 4:00 p.n. Chef Boudet is holding his 4th Annual Crawfish Boil on the patio at Dominick’s. It’s 300 pounds of fresh Louisiana crawfish cooked at each event!

It’s a real taste of New Orleans in Los Angeles!

Also on the menu are Boudet’s New Orleans specialties including Po’ Boys and Crawfish Boiled Artichokes with Remoulade. For dessert there are New Orleans Sno Balls.

Podcasts

Segment One: Chef Jet Tila
Segment Two: Chef Jennifer Stoker the Chicago-based author of She Cooks, She Scores: The Steamy Stories Behind the Recipes
Segment Three: Kedric Francis, Executive Editor of Coast (monthly) as well as the co-founding editor of the new OC Register Magazine (appearing twice monthly with the Monday edition of the Orange County Register.) Part One
Segment Four: Kedric Francis, Executive Editor of Coast (monthly) as well as the co-founding editor of the new OC Register Magazine (appearing twice monthly with the Monday edition of the Orange County Register.) Part Two
Segment Five: Chef Vic Vegas, chef/proprietor of Vic’s restaurant in Anthem, NV, a suburb of Henderson
Segment Six: Chef Brandon Boudet, Executive chef and co-proprietor of Dominick’s, Little Dom’s and Tom Bergin’s