February 8: Jamie Schler, Anne Marie Panoringan, Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, Restauration, Napa Valley Grille

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Food Journalist Jamie Schler with Orange Appeal – Savory & Sweet
Segment Three: Food & Beverage Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan
Segment Four: Irvine & Roberts Vineyards’ Winemaker Vince Vidrine Part One
Segment Five: Irvine & Roberts Vineyards’ Winemaker Vince Vidrine Part Two
Segment Six: Restauration – Finely Recrafted Food + Beverage (Long Beach)
Segment Seven: Napa Valley Grille in Westwood Village Part One
Segment Eight: Napa Valley Grille in Westwood Village Part Two

Now a tempting preview of this Saturday’s mouthwatering show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will hopefully leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s probably a pretty good thing… As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience. Truly couldn’t do it without you.

Jamie Schler is an award-winning writer specializing in food and culture, her stories inspired by her multicultural family and 35 years living between France and Italy, completely immersed in the culture. After years spent working in high-end gastronomic tourism and as an interpreter at a prestigious Parisian cooking school, and having married into a deeply traditional French family, Jamie has become an expert on French cuisine. For her first cookbook, Orange Appeal -Savory & Sweet, Jamie returned to her native Florida and her lifelong passion for the most versatile fruit of the citrus family, the extraordinary orange.

Orange County foodies know Anne Marie Panoringan as one of the insightful food and beverage contributors to the, now, sadly departed OC Weekly. Anne Marie is currently the bi-monthly food columnist for Arts & Culture at Voice of OC. We’ll chat with her about her new post and two of her most recent articles.

The welcoming Irvine & Roberts Vineyards and winery is located in the picturesque Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. It’s located just five miles from the heart of Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The new Irvine & Roberts tasting room on the property offers stunning views of the estate vineyards and the surrounding hills. Winemaker Vince Vidrine skillfully pulls the cork on Irvine & Roberts Vineyards for us.

“What’s old is new again. Restauration – Finely Crafted Food + Beverage is a combination of two of our favorite words that are defining pillars of the Long Beach community: restaurant+restore. Situated in the vibrant and creative stretch on 4th street between Cherry and Temple dubbed Retro Row, our little eatery brings the Long Beach family together to pay tribute to the American culinary spirit while embracing modern fare.” Owner Dana Tanner and Chef/Owner Philip Pretty join us with the 411 what’s on the Restauration menu.

Combining local, seasonal ingredients, artisan products and an expansive selection of premium regional wine, Napa Valley Grille recreates the charm, bounty and palates distinctive of West Coast wine country in a sophisticated setting within Westwood Village. Veteran General Manager and Wine Director, Brian Cousins, and newly arrived Executive Chef Ben Diaz are our guests.

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

Jamie Schler is an award-winning writer specializing in food and culture, her stories inspired by her multicultural family and 35 years living between France and Italy, completely immersed in the culture. After years spent working in high-end gastronomic tourism and as an interpreter at a prestigious Parisian cooking school, and having married into a deeply traditional French family, Jamie has become an expert on French cuisine. Her writing focuses on more than just the recipes; she delves into the history of French cooking and individual dishes, the stories, traditions, and the daily family, cultural, and social rituals behind the food.

“For her first cookbook, Orange Appeal – Savory & Sweet, Jamie returned to her native Florida and her lifelong passion for the most versatile fruit of the citrus family, the extraordinary orange.”

“Jamie’s lifelong connection to the orange runs deep: she grew up on Florida’s Space Coast, the narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River, surrounded by the world-famous Indian River citrus groves. She grew up eating oranges daily, lots and lots of oranges; she sometimes feels like she has orange juice running through her veins. Devoting an entire cookbook to the orange allowed her to explore it in all of its forms, navels, juice, blood, bitter varieties, using the whole fruit, the flesh, the zest, juice, rind, the orange in powder form, marmalade, liqueur, orange flower water in innovative ways, from feature ingredient to essential flavoring.”:

“She has created a collection of more than 70 sunny, sophisticated, and comforting recipes, both savory and sweet, accessible to cooks of every level of experience and knowhow, offering the kind of recipes that she prepares for her own family and friends everyday, and drawing from the many cultures that fill her home and her kitchen.”

Discriminating Orange County foodies know Anne Marie Panoringan as one of the insightful food and beverage contributors to the, now, sadly departed OC Weekly. She always has her ear to the ground for breaking news on the OC dining and libation scene. Anne Marie is now the bi-monthly food columnist for Arts & Culture at Voice of OC.

We’ll chat with her about her new post, Voice of OC, and her first two features. First up are bars as gathering spots) where the creative cocktails are alcohol free. Could it be a significant trend? Then it’s a look at the more creative of the OC’s fast multiplying Food Halls starting with Chef Amar Santana’s and Ahmed Labatte’s The Hall Global Eatery at South Coast Plaza.

For the February issue of Kudos Newport Beach it’s a profile of Chef Amy Lebrun at Lido Bottle Works.

The welcoming Irvine & Roberts Vineyards and winery is part of the picturesque Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. It’s located just five miles from the heart of Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The new Irvine & Roberts tasting room on the property offers stunning views of the estate vineyards and the surrounding hills.

“The Irvine & Roberts families bring a unique collection of skills and passions to create their ultra-premium, artistically crafted wines produced in a style that evokes elegance, balance, and richness in their flavors and texture.”

“The estate vineyard is an exceptional example of geology and climate that provides the perfect growing conditions for some of the world’s most complex grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Nestled between the Southern Cascade and Siskiyou Mountain Ranges, our ancient soils are some of the oldest in North America and are located on steep, high-elevation hillsides with glowing morning sun and shady, breezy afternoons.”

“Irvine & Roberts Family Vineyards is an alluring family winery in Ashland, Oregon, where we practice sustainable farming and produce ultra-premium Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Our high -altitude vineyard is adorned with distinctive soils, climate, and east facing slopes that produce wines with extraordinary balance, flavor and intensity. We believe great wines come from great soil, so we strive to be conscientious stewards of the land, protecting our vineyard soils through practices that are certified sustainable by LIVE and Salmon Safe. We admit to being obsessive with our grape growing practices to ensure quality in the vineyard, keeping grape yields low and production limited to ensure the optimal health of the vine; allowing us to produce exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with elegance and balance.”

In 1997, Doug & Dionne Irvine returned to their roots in Oregon with the desire to raise their daughters in the same place that they had such fond childhood memories. Choosing Ashland, they soon discovered that the 80-acre ranch they would call home turned out to be an incredibly unique vineyard site. The first vines were planted in 2007, and the journey continued from there when Doug’s sister and brother in law, Kelly and Duane Roberts, joined Doug and Dionne and created Irvine and Roberts Vineyards.

“We have a team of artisans and professionals in place to maximize the potential of this amazing site. From our tasting room ambassadors and vineyard artisans, to our management and winemakers and the distinct strengths of the family members themselves, Irvine & Roberts Vineyards is constantly striving for perfection. Out of love and respect for the great wines of the New and Old Worlds, our vision is to add our wines to the legacy of world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.”

“Winemaker Vince Vidrine has a great deal of experience working for prestigious wineries in both Oregon and Burgundy and we’re confident he’ll expand on our initial successes to craft complex, balanced and elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.” “I am very excited about the opportunity to work with this team.“”

““We are all completely focused on producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the highest level,” said Vidrine. “With the completion of this new winery and with a meticulous farming program led by the Results Partners vineyard management team, this project is perfectly poised for an excellent start.”

Winemaker Vince Vidrine skillfully pulls the cork on Irvine & Roberts Vineyards for us.

“What’s old is new again. Restauration – Finely Crafted Food + Beverage is a combination of two of our favorite words that are defining pillars of the Long Beach community: restaurant+restore. Situated in the vibrant and creative stretch on 4th street between Cherry and Temple dubbed Retro Row, our little eatery brings the Long Beach family together to pay tribute to the American culinary spirit while embracing modern fare.”

“Menus for Restauration created by Chef / Owner Philip Pretty are locally sourced and responsibly grown, using seasonal ingredients based on the abundant bounty available on the Southern and Central Coast. Many options are served family style intended for sharing. Our beer offerings feature craft beer on draft and in bottles/cans from across the US. The comprehensive wine list highlights small producers from California and other unique wine growing regions from afar.”

“Our vision was to create an environment that encourages an audience to stay awhile and brings them together in a hospitable space. We were able to do just that by recrafting the interior and exterior space with an urban style that integrates vintage and upcycled materials for a comfortable yet sophisticated feeling. Repurposed lighting, handmade tables & benches, a 70-seat patio encircled with vertical gardens that are warm yet refreshing all contribute to the inviting atmosphere.”

“Combining local, seasonal ingredients, artisan products and an expansive selection of regional wine, Napa Valley Grille recreates the charm, bounty and palates distinctive of West Coast wine country in a sophisticated setting within Westwood Village.” Also available are several private dining rooms of varying sizes and attractive patio seating.

Napa Valley Grille serves lunch and dinner daily with Weekend Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Also known for their Daily Happy Hour with Bar Bites like Lamb Lollipos and Buttermilk Fried Chicken sliders.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Executive Chef Ben Diaz has always had a fascination with cooking, which stemmed from watching his father (an already accomplished chef himself) cooking and making breakfast. Chef Ben is a graduate of the prestigious California School of Culinary Arts.

Chef Ben holds six certifications, including Master Certified Food Executive and Certified Food and Beverage Executive; he has worked alongside the world’s top chefs as a member of the Los Angeles Chefs de Cuisine Association. Chef Ben is also a published author with “From a Cook To a Professional Chef” a culinary reference book that Chef Ben created and launched in 2011. With all this and more going on, Chef Ben also finds time to support local charities. Most notably are the Boys and Girls Club of San Gabriel and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Irvine.

Chef Ben has worked in some of the best kitchens in town including The Silver Trumpet Restaurant, JW Marriott, Luxe City Center and Stockdale Country Club where the main focus was always on fresh, seasonal and locally grown produce.

Veteran General Manager and Wine Director, Brian Cousins, and newly arrived Executive Chef Ben Diaz are our guests.