April 17: Anne Marie Panoringan, Carla Hall, Folded Hills Winery, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Voice of O.C.’s Food Columnist
Segment Three: Chef Carla Hall – Honoree for “A Taste of C-Cap – 2021 Virtual Annual Gala” Part One
Segment Four: Chef Carla Hall – Honoree for “A Taste of C-Cap – 2021 Virtual Annual Gala” Part Two
Segment Five: Winemaker Michael Brughelli, Folded Hills Winery, Ranch & Farmstead Part One
Segment Six: Winemaker Michael Brughelli, Folded Hills Winery, Ranch & Farmstead Part Two
Segment Seven: Donald Contursi of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours, Las Vegas
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 top favorite new restaurants of 2020. Her picks range from “Most Likely to Succeed” to “Best Personality.” We’ll also get a preview of Anne Marie’s next column which publishes Monday, April 19th. Filipino Food Month is here.

On Thursday evening April 29, The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) is presenting “A Taste of C-CAP– 2021 Virtual Annual Gala.” During the fundraising event, C-CAP will honor a beacon of hope to all of us– chef, author and TV Host, Carla Hall– for her work to mentor and support C-CAP’s students and alumni. Carla first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo’s Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars (fan favorite) and shared her philosophy to always cook with love. She believes food connects us all and strives to communicate this.
Chef Carla joins us.

“In 2017, Andy and Kim Busch started a business in their 50’s which they knew nothing about. Andy, coming from a long line of St. Louis beer barons, had worked not in the beverage business but rather at Grant’s Farm, the original prototype for the Busch Gardens parks started by his father, Gussie. Their newest property, Folded Hills Winery, Farmstead, Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, focuses on top notch wine making rather than beer.” Winemaker Michael Brughelli is our guest and gently pulls the cork on the unusual story of Folded Hills Winery for us.

Food entrepreneur Donald Contursi is the founder of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours based in Las Vegas. In a few short years they have earned the reputation as the premier food walking tour operator in Las Vegas. They offer both fully escorted as well as self -guides foodie tours of the most significant dining areas in Las Vegas both on and off The Strip. Downtown and the neighboring Arts District are now a huge dining destination known for a variety of ethnic cuisines. Founder Donald Contursi hospitably leads us on the tour of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours.

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 regularly updating us on the 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 early stages of the hoped-for recovery which remains a genuine concern. Restaurants in Southern California are finally again allowed to operate for outside/patio dining and inside dining at reduced capacities with all the requisite COVID 19 safety precautions. Shifting the conversation back to food we’ll also ask Chef Andrew about the differences between New York pizza by-the-slice and Jersey style pizza-by-the-slice. Does hot sauce come into play?

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness (with proper Social Distancing) 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 top favorite new restaurants of 2020. Her inspired range of picks include “Most Involved,” “Best Looking,” “Most Likely to Succeed,” “Best Personality,” Most Popular” and “Best Location.” We’ll also get a sneak preview of Anne Marie’s next column which publishes on Voice of OC Monday, April 19th. It’s Filipino Food Month.

Celebrity Chef Carla Hall

On Thursday evening April 29, The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) is presenting “A Taste of C-CAP– 2021 Virtual Annual Gala.” During the fundraising event, C-CAP will honor a beacon of hope to all of us– chef, author and TV Host, Carla Hall– for her work to mentor and support C-CAP’s students and alumni.

“Carla first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo’s Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars (fan favorite) and shared her philosophy to always cook with love. She believes food connects us all and strives to communicate this.”

Carla spent 7 years co-hosting ABC’s Emmy award-winning, popular lifestyle series The Chew, and she currently brightens the mornings of millions as a Culinary Contributor to Good Morning America. She hosts a Podcast on the Wondery Platform called Say Yes with Carla Hall. Her latest cookbook, Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, has landed on annual “Best Cookbook” lists across the country and received an NAACP Image Awards nomination. Carla also serves on the Leadership Committee for the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans.

Just announced is that Chef Carla has her first children’s cookbook (with illustrations) coming out in the Fall. It’s titled Carla and the Christmas Cornbread.

Missing Chef Carla’s Nashville Hot Chicken? You can now get this delicious chicken (ready to enjoy) and also an assortment of Carla’s signature baked goods delivered to your door via Goldbelly.

Chef Carla joins us.

Michael Brughelli of Folded Hills Winery

“In 2017, Andy and Kim Busch started a business in their 50’s which they knew nothing about. Andy, coming from a long line of beer barons, had worked not in the beverage business but rather at Grant’s Farm, the original prototype for the Busch Gardens parks started by his father, Gussie. Folded Hills Winery, Farmstead, Ranch focuses on top notch wine making rather than beer.”

“The Busch’s own Folded Hills, a working ranch, an integrated sustainable farm is located just outside of Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez Valley. When they purchased a contiguous piece of farming property they learned that the original farmsteader had planted a pre-prohibition vineyard and made wine in the basement of his farmhouse.”

“The Busches had purchased the property to keep the land agricultural in general and organic in particular and in 2014 decided to start farming organic grapes alongside the 18 acres of organic row crops, stone fruits, and animals.”

“As they were deciding what grape varietals to plant everyone told them to “plant what they love to drink”. Andy loves beer – that was no help- although they do have a small patch of hops growing. Kim loved Pinot Noir but the terroir would not grow a quality Pinot. They settled on the Rhône varietals which they knew absolutely nothing about. Now the hillsides are rolling with grape vines of syrah, grenache, Clairette blanc, grenache blanc and marsanne.”

“This is a heart project for the Busches and they wanted to bring some of their mid-West roots and family heritage to the project. Many of the wines have names that harken back to their iconic St. Louis history.”

“Their award- winning Lilly Rosé is named for six generations of Lilly’s.” From Lilly Anheuser who married Adolphus Busch in 1861, to their 3 -year old grand-daughter, Lilly. The Grant Grenache is named for the family seat in St. Louis, Grant’s Farm, which was named for Ulysses S. Grant, the original farmsteader of the that land. The August Red and August White are named for Andy’s grandfather and father, August Busch Sr. And Jr. His father, August, Jr., or Gussie, was the one who gave his father the first Clydesdale hitch to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition in 1934.

“The Busches still ponder why they decided to launch a business that they knew so little about, so late in life, after their children had left home. But it is working. Folded Hills has won many awards for the wines which are grown organically, following the biodynamic calendar. The wines are hand-crafted in small batches with minimal intervention.”

Winemaker Michael Brughelli oversees all winemaking, working directly with the vineyard and cellar staff in a hands-on fashion. “A California native, Brughelli is perhaps best known as winemaker for Scar of the Sea, a label he co-founded with Mikey Giugni. A darling of critics and sommeliers alike, Scar of the Sea quickly rose in prominence as Brughelli’s wines drew wide notice. In 2019, he sold his portion of Scar of the Sea back to Giugni in order to launch his own consultancy, Vignerons. Previously, Brughelli was at Bien Nacido Vineyard, in the Santa Maria Valley appellation of Santa Barbara County, where over the course of seven seminal years, he rose from Sales Manager to Director of Sales to Director of Supply.”

Tasting Rooms are located at the vineyard estate in Gaviota and on Old Coast Highway in Montecito.

Winemaker Michael Brughelli is our guest and gently pull the cork on the unusual story of Folded Hills Winery for us.

Donald Contursi of Lipsmacking Foodie Tours

Donald Contursi is the founder of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours based in Las Vegas. In a few short years they have earned the reputation as the premier food walking tour operator in Las Vegas. They offer both fully escorted as well as self -guides foodie tours of the most significant dining areas in Las Vegas both on and off The Strip. Downtown and the neighboring Arts District are now a huge dining destination known for a variety of ethnic cuisines.

“Lady Luck may be a necessity at the gaming tables in Vegas, but not at the dining ones. Not with Lip Smacking Foodie Tours ensuring you the ultimate payoff with the best bites this exciting city has to offer. Our award-winning culinary walking tour company was founded by veteran restaurant industry professionals with years of experience and exclusive connections, who have made it their mission to introduce visitors and locals alike to the best signature dishes, unique preparations, and exciting tastes in Vegas, complete with superlative VIP service.”

The range of fully escorted VIP Lip Smacking Foodie Tours includes “Savors of The Strip,” “Savory Bites & Neon Lights,” “Downtown Lip Smacking Tour” and “Arts District Lip Smacking Tour.” Finger Licking Foodie Tours self-guided options are “Downtown,” “Arts District,” “Chinatown,” And ARIA Resort & Casino.”

Founder Donald Contursi hospitably leads us on the tour of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours.

Chef Andrew Gruel savoring a New Jersey style Pizza

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 regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants which is a genuine concern as the hoped-for recovery ever so slowly moves forward.

Shifting the conversation back to food we’ll also ask Chef Andrew about the differences between New York pizza by-the-slice and Jersey style pizza-by-the-slice. Does hot sauce come into play? What is the role of the pepper flakes and accompanying little container of Parmesan cheese?

Remember the juicy and delicious Community Burger (more than a mouthful) is available at all Southern California locations of Slapfish. The worthy burger is free with any donation to 86 Restaurant Struggle.” 100 per cent of that money goes to benefit struggling restaurant workers.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Voice of O.C.’s Food Columnist
Segment Three: Chef Carla Hall – Honoree for “A Taste of C-Cap – 2021 Virtual Annual Gala” Part One
Segment Four: Chef Carla Hall – Honoree for “A Taste of C-Cap – 2021 Virtual Annual Gala” Part Two
Segment Five: Winemaker Michael Brughelli, Folded Hills Winery, Ranch & Farmstead Part One
Segment Six: Winemaker Michael Brughelli, Folded Hills Winery, Ranch & Farmstead Part Two
Segment Seven: Donald Contursi of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours, Las Vegas
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Comments are closed.