Congrats to our Emeritus Host, Chef Jet Tila. He battled his way into the entrée round of The Finals of Food Network’s high octane “Chopped All-Stars Tournament.” He bested 9 other seasoned celebrity chefs along the way. Food Network’s Anne Burrell won the $75,000 grand prize for her charity. Chef Jet was competing for K9s for Warriors. They were so appreciative of the national exposure (and contributions) Chef Jet generated for this worthy effort that a future assistance/service dog matched with a returning Vet (with either physical or mental challenges) will be named “Jet Tila.”
Now a provocative preview of Saturday’s delightfully over-stuffed show. We’re not counting calories…
Earlier in the month the Los Angeles branch of the national Careers Through Culinary Arts Program presented over $600,000 in scholarships and cash awards to 28 deserving high school seniors at the annual awards ceremony hosted by the Montage Beverly Hills. These students will now advance their education in the culinary arts. Food TV producer and media personality Eric Boardman (a long-time Advisory Board Member of C-CAP Los Angeles) joins us with the details.
Bricia Lopez, the engaging co-owner of Guelaguetza in Koreatown is back with us. On May 4th she was in Chicago at The James Beard Foundation Awards to receive the America’s Classics Award. This is an especially noteworthy honor as the Award for Guelaguetza was the only Beard Award received by a Southern California chef or restaurant this year. We’ll hear about her once-in-a-lifetime adventures in Chicago with her Family and the true luminaries of the food world. Perhaps a bit of Champagne was enjoyed along the way…
On June 6th microbreweries, craft beer makers and brew pubs from throughout Southern California and beyond will descend on Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula for the 7th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival and Chili Cookoff from 1 to 5:00 p.m. in the Pechanga Grand Ballroom. In addition to the craft beer samples the talented Pechanga chefs are preparing eight varieties of their crowd-pleasing, house-made chili for all the guests to enjoy. The chefs are all competing for the coveted fan favorite award. Bragging rites are at stake! Damian Stanley, the Executive Sous Chef at the Pechanga Resort & Casino, is our guest providing all the details.
Anita Lau is the well-known and closely followed Diary of a Mad Hungry Woman blogger. She principally shares her Orange County and San Diego finds with her followers but there is an occasional Los Angeles find, too. Her prose comes to life with her accompanying food photos. We’ll catch-up with Anita with both a profile of a worthy San Diego (Catania in La Jolla) and Orange County restaurant (Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge.)
The always eloquent Philip Dobard is a Board member of The Museum of the American Cocktail which is part of the SoFAB Institute in New Orleans. Dobard is also the Vice President of SoFAB Institute. He is based in Los Angeles and produces their local programming in addition to a lot more duties. This time we’re talking about MOTAC’s Tuesday Tastings at The Three Clubs in Hollywood and MOTAC’s first permanent Los Angeles exhibit, curated by Joe Keeper, at Seven Grand Whiskey Bar.
Anne Marie Panoringan is one of the highly readable food writers for OC Weekly. She has earned the respect of her peers. Her signature pieces are nuanced chef interviews and coverage of the emerging Long Beach restaurant scene. She is always out there doing her research…Anne Marie just returned from Portland, a new foodie paradise. She will share some of her dining adventures there including eating (multiple times) at the most famous food cart in Portland! Of course there is a story…
Don’t miss Guest Host Chef Andrew Gruel’s new restaurant makeover series, “Say It To My Face” on FYI. An original episode is aired every Thursday evening with an encore episode thereafter. Check your local listings. On-line food reviewers confront restaurateurs with the shortcomings of their establishments. It’s then up to Chef Andrew and his colleague, Chef Anthony Dispensa, to coach the chef and restaurateur to achieve a much higher level of guest satisfaction when the on-line reviews return for another look! Sometimes it’s tough-love…
All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!
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