Executive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, soon, Brea, is back as today’s special Guest Host.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to all. We’re happily moving on from Turkey-Talk this morning…Thanks for joining us this busy Holiday Weekend and we promise no leftovers.

Next a tantalizing preview of Saturday’s high-energy and appropriately loaded show and not, with apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s probably a good thing…

The historic Holman Ranch and Vineyards dates back to 1928. Located at the north eastern tip of the Carmel Valley Appellation, the family-owned Holman Ranch resides approximately 12 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. Immersed in history and romance, the ranch has not only proven to be an excellent growing location for their vineyards but also for the Tuscan varietal olive trees which have flourished under the temperate climate. It’s also a one-of-a-kind executive retreat and special events venue. Guest Services Manager and Partner, Nick Elliott, joins us.

GMO foods are a hot button topic with consumers. After a lengthy approval process the Food and Drug Administration has approved a farm-raised, genetically-modified Atlantic Salmon for sale in the United States. Our resident seafood expert and Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, weighs in with what you need to be aware of. Is it okay to eat and safe for the environment? The all-important Dungeness crab season has been delayed in California due to the presence of a toxic algae. This is a potential disaster in the making for California’s Dungeness crab fisherman. Chef Andrew will explain the unfortunate ramifications.

No one knows Indian food like our guest, Madhur Jaffrey. For more than forty years, the “godmother of Indian cooking” (The Independent on Sunday) has introduced Western home cooks to the vibrant cuisines of her homeland. Now, in Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking, the seven-time James Beard Award–winning author shares the delectable, healthful, vegetable- and grain-based foods enjoyed around the Indian subcontinent.

Since 1983, Rio Grill in Carmel, CA has been the place to meet friends, enjoy cocktails, food and wine and experience great dining on the Monterey Peninsula. The high energy restaurant is located at the mouth of the Carmel Valley in the well-known Crossroads Shopping Village and has won numerous reader’s choice awards and inspired food critics both near and far. Menu highlights include creative regional California cuisine from the wood-burning grill and oak wood burner, as well as Chef Cy Yontz’s daily creations which include fresh fish, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Rio Grill is now part of The Downtown Dining restaurants. Managing Partner Tony Tollner, who was part of the opening team for Rio Grill joins us.

CulinaryLab, under the direction of Chef Director Ryan Wagner, is a forward-focused cooking school where timeless techniques meet cutting edge curriculum and real-world training to cook up bold contemporary cuisine. CulinaryLab reinvents culinary training with a program that harnesses the power of today’s innovations to train tomorrow’s culinary arts visionaries. Orange County, California-based CulinaryLab (at The Anaheim Packing House) is the first school of its kind to combine an industry-fueled curriculum, tech-savvy training, hands-on learning, and a sustainable food philosophy. The first class starts in January of 2016. Chef Director Ryan Wagner is our guest.

The first DINE LBC Long Beach Restaurant Week Holiday Cocktail Contest was held at The Sky Room’s Cielo rooftop lounge on November 15th. Five amateur finalists were selected (out of dozens of qualified entries) to create their concoctions in front of a panel of five thirsty judges. The cocktails were scored on the basis of Creativity of Ingredients, Taste/Flavor, Presentation and Likely to Order at The Sky Room. After careful deliberation the Judges’ decision for the First Place Winner was unanimous, and Dan Tapia, the creator of Little Drummer Boy, joins us.

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

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