June 26: Anne Marie Panoringan, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Chef Christopher Christian

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Food Columnist, Voice of OC Part One
Segment Three: Anne Marie Panoringan, Food Columnist, Voice of OC Part Two
Segment Four: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part One
Segment Five: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part Two
Segment Six: Chef Christopher Christian, formerly VP of Culinary Operations, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix Part One
Segment Seven: Chef Christopher Christian, formerly VP of Culinary Operations, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix Part Two
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

We’re previewing the show with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris.

Anne Marie Panoringan is Voice of OC’s well-informed food columnist. She reports industry news, current events and trends. Panoringan’s prior efforts includes writing about food for 8 years at the OC Weekly in which she interviewed more than 330 chefs, restauranteurs and industry professionals for her weekly “On the Line” column. Anne Marie joins us to talk about her recent visit to Disneyland and Catal Restaurant located at Downtown Disney focusing on the food. Plus a sneak peak at the newly opened Mah Jong’s by Chef Mike (Doctulero) at the Collage Culinary Experience at South Coast Plaza. We’ll also get a preview of Anne Marie’s next column which publishes Monday, June 28th. Among other items of note Anne Marie talks about what the impact is to a restaurant if the highly publicized opening executive chef later moves on.

“Dr. Shica Little, known to many as “Southern Sweet Maker to the Stars” as she channels her love of baking and her Southern upbringing into her signature Southern sweets and custom creations, is now showcasing her Southern hospitality at her first official Dr. Shica’s Bakery retail bakerylocation at Westfield Culver City which opened last month. Her irresistible treats are brownies, cookies, cakes and custom creations.” Dr. Shica joins us whisk securely in hand.

Fox Restaurant Concepts based in Phoenix was founded by noted restaurateur Sam Fox in 1998. Chef Christopher Christian was the first employee of Fox Restaurants Concepts and in his long tenure there (22 years) was involved in developing some 17 successful and high-profile restaurant concepts. Best known to diners in Southern California are North Italia, Flower Child, True Food Kitchen and The Henry. Chef Christian retired from Fox Restaurant Concepts in late 2019 as Vice President of Culinary Operations after the company was acquired by Calabasas Hills headquartered, The Cheesecake Factory. Chef Christopher Christian is our guest to discuss the magic of how you create, maintain and expand unique restaurant concepts that retain local character without feeling impersonally corporate.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is continually updating us on the real impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants during the initial, highly fluid stages of the hoped-for recovery which remains a genuine concern. Americans are enjoying more & more seafood as part of their diet. Where is the majority of the seafood coming from? What you should know about farm-raised fish and seafood as an informed consumer? Chef Andrew is our always reliable source.

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

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. Panoringan’s prior efforts includes writing about food for 8 years at the OC Weekly in which she interviewed more than 330 chefs, restauranteurs and industry professionals for her weekly “On the Line” column.

Anne Marie joins us to talk about her recent visit to Disneyland and Catal Restaurant located at Downtown Disney focusing on the food. Also a look at the upcoming Artisan in Fountain Valley, a collaboration between 7 Leaves Café and Tarit Tanjasari’s Crema Bakery. Plus a sneak peak at the newly opened Mah Jong’s by Chef Mike (Doctulero) at the Collage Culinary Experience at South Coast Plaza.

For the finale we’ll get a preview of Anne Marie’s next column which publishes Monday, June 28th. Among other items of note Anne Marie talks about what the impact is to a restaurant if the highly publicized opening executive chef moves on.

Doctor Shica Little of Dr Shica's Bakery

Dr. Shica Little, known to many as “Southern Sweet Maker to the Stars” as she channels her love of baking and her Southern upbringing into her signature Southern sweets and custom creations, is now showcasing her Southern hospitality at her first official Dr. Shica’s Bakery retail bakery location at Westfield Culver City which opened last month. Her irresistible treats are brownies, cookies, cakes and custom creations.”

“Dr. Shica has always enjoyed her small bakery business as a fun side project in hopes that one day it would grow beyond her home kitchen. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, Dr. Shica, a Doctor of Education and college professor in the educational services industry was laid off from her corporate job and she knew right then that it was time to turn her dream into a reality, so she created Dr. Shica’s Bakery online in Los Angeles.”

“Delivering comfort in a Bakery Box became Dr. Shica’s sole mission as everyone was trying their best to adjust to life in lockdown. Dr. Shica also discovered that growing a small business during a pandemic is chock-full of challenges and Dr Shica’s Bakery was faced with operational restrictions, slow supply lines, and a customer base with a much less disposable income, but Dr. Shica and her small team continued to push forward to overcome these challenges and they continued to deliver her delicious Southern sweets all-across the country during a most challenging time.”

“This past year Dr. Shica started selling her Red Velvet Cake (her mom’s special recipe) and her Brownies at a pop-up shop in a soul food restaurant on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. This gained the attention of several Hollywood executives who instantly became huge fans of Dr. Shica’s Desserts, especially her brownies, giving them their name: Almost Famous Brownies. Word started spreading quickly and Dr. Shica began delivering her Bakery Boxes all over the city.”

“She then got a call from Oprah Magazine as they had heard about her desserts and Oprah and Gayle loved her cookies, and Dr. Shica’s Bakery was in the top three on Oprah’s Favorite Things out of 15,000 entries. She was then featured as a Black small business owner on GMA, and her Gourmet Dessert Boxes were featured on Tory Johnson’s ‘Deals and Steals, bringing a tremendous amount of visibility and recognition to Dr. Shica’s Bakery just after its inception.”

“Dr. Shica’s Bakery creates gourmet, Southern-style desserts using only the freshest premium ingredients. Dr. Shica also knew she wanted to expand her baked goods to meet the growing demand for vegan treats, so she developed and is introducing a new line of mouth-watering, plant-based Vegan Desserts that satisfy those sweet cravings and allow her plant-based customers to maintain their vegan lifestyles all while continuing to indulge and enjoy.”

“Reinventing her family’s recipes, Dr. Shica brings old favorites into the modern era featuring desserts with the taste of home and the sophistication of a gourmet bakery, including Signature Sweets such as Dr. Shica’s CookiesSprinkle Delight, Hot Chocolate, Gigi’s Chocolate Chip, Vegan Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Drop, Red Velvet; CakeDebra’s Red Velvet Cake; BrowniesAlmost Famous Brownies; full line of Vegan DessertsVegan Almost Famous Brownies, Vegan Cookies, Vegan Red Velvet Cake, and Signature Boxes including Dr. Shica’s Spring Gift Box, Gourmet Dessert Box, Vegan Gourmet Dessert Boxes, and Traditional and Vegan Birthday Boxes. Also, not to be missed are Dr. Shica’s Custom Creations as Dr. Shica’s Bakery will bring joy to any celebration and if you dream it, they will make it!”

Dr. Shica joins us with whisk in hand.

Fox Restaurant Concepts based in Phoenix was founded by noted restaurateur Sam Fox in 1998. Chef Christopher Christian was the first employee of Fox Restaurants concepts and in his long tenure there was involved in developing some 17 successful and high-profile restaurant concepts. “Each Fox Restaurant Concepts establishment is individually designed to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind dining experience that will leave a lasting impression.” Best known to diners in Southern California are North Italia, Flower Child, True Food Kitchen and The Henry.

Chef Christian retired from Fox Restaurant Concepts in late 2019 as Vice President of Culinary Operations after the company was acquired by Calabasas Hills headquartered The Cheesecake Factory. At the time of the completion of the sale North Italia alone operated 21 locations in nine states and Washington D.C.

Chef Christopher Christian is our guest to discuss the magic of how you create, maintain and expand unique and appealing restaurant concepts that retain local character without feeling impersonally corporate.

Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is continually updating us on the real impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants during the initial, highly fluid stages of the hoped-for recovery which remains a genuine concern.

Americans are now enjoying more & more seafood as part of their diet. Where is the majority of the seafood coming from? What you should know about farm-raised fish and seafood as an informed consumer? Chef Andrew is our always reliable source.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Food Columnist, Voice of OC Part One
Segment Three: Anne Marie Panoringan, Food Columnist, Voice of OC Part Two
Segment Four: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part One
Segment Five: Dr. Shica Little, Dr. Shica’s Bakery, Westfield Culver City Part Two
Segment Six: Chef Christopher Christian, formerly VP of Culinary Operations, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix Part One
Segment Seven: Chef Christopher Christian, formerly VP of Culinary Operations, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix Part Two
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

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