Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef Travis Watson, Hotel Californian, Santa Barbara
Segment Three: Winemaker Douglas Barden Margerum, Margerum Wine Company, Santa Barbara
Segment Four: Chef Jim Dodge, Bon Appetit Management Co.
Segment Five: Krista Harris – Editor & Co-Publisher, Edible Santa Barbara & Wine Country
Segment Six: Winemaker Richard Sanford, Alma Rosa Winery, Santa Rita Hills
Segment Seven: Executive Chef Jason Paluska, The Lark, Santa Barbara
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Now an intriguing preview of this Saturday’s delectable 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.

We’re live from the Hotel Californian boutique luxury hotel for the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation honoring the memory of Julia Child. The SBCE is an expansive citywide calendar of special events for the extended three-day weekend on March 13-15, 2020. “It’s an epicurean celebration of both Julia Child and Santa Barbara’s culinary scene involving chefs, mixologists, restaurateurs and the local community, with guest appearances from nationally renowned food and beverage talents. The late cookbook author, chef and TV personality Julia Child was passionate about teaching others about the culinary arts—and was an aficionado of Santa Barbara, as a longtime resident herself.”

The new Executive Chef at Hotel Californian is Travis Watson. Chef Travis has refreshed and revamped Hotel Californian’s signature (dinner only) restaurant, Blackbird Restaurant and Bar. He’s also the menu-maker for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner at the al-fresco Goat Tree, banquets and in-room dining at Hotel Californian. Chef Travis takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us.

Leading the Margerum Wine Company team (with a new tasting room at Hotel Californian in the State Building) is creator and namesake, Douglas Barden Margerum, a long-term Santa Barbara resident who has been a fixture in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 35 years. Doug is also is a member of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE) Advisory Committee. Doug is our guest to pull the cork for us on Margerum Wine Company.

“Veteran hospitality industry executive Jim Dodge has had a rich, wide-ranging culinary career. After growing up in the hospitality industry, he trained as a chef, became a celebrated pastry chef, published several cookbooks, opened a pastry shop and restaurant in Hong Kong, then became a culinary educator and joined the food service industry. Since 2004, he has been Bon Appétit Management Company’s director of specialty culinary programs, based in the corporate office in Palo Alto, CA, and donates his time regularly to charities throughout the country.”  We’ll meet him.

Edible Santa Barbara is a publication entirely locally owned and operated. “And with our membership in Edible Communities, we are able to combine the synergy of a national publication and a hip, locally written insider’s view of the food and beverage producers and purveyors throughout the region. We shine the spotlight on our exemplary farmers, fishermen, ranchers, winemakers and community food programs—we savor the delicious diversity of Santa Barbara.” Krista Harris, Editor and Co-Publisher, turns the page for us with an overview on Edible Santa Barbara.

“Alma Rosa Winery was founded in 2005 by California wine industry pioneer Richard Sanford and his wife, Thekla. They named the winery after the 1839 Rancho Santa Rosa land grant that historically encompassed this region of Santa Barbara County. Richard Sanford was the first to plant Pinot Noir in the area in 1971 after detailed research of climate and geologic records. Richard went on to launch two wineries before creating Alma Rosa (which he sold in 2015.) Today Richard serves as Founder and Winery Ambassador for Alma Rosa Winery.” Richard deftly pulls the cork on Alma Rosa for us.

Originally from Tomball, Texas, Jason Paluska, the Executive Chef of The Lark in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, began his cooking career in San Francisco under chefs Mitch and Steve Rosenthal of Town Hall, Salt House and Anchor & Hope in 2006. Jason went on to became a sous chef at Michael Mina’s RN74 in San Francisco. In 2013 he left the Bay area and moved to Santa Barbara as the opening executive chef of The Lark restaurant part of the Acme Hospitality restaurant group. Most recently Jason and his team at The Lark received the Michelin Plate award in June of 2019.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group joins us from the road with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”

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

The new Executive Chef at Hotel Californian is Travis Watson. Chef Travis has refreshed and revamped Hotel Californian’s signature (dinner only) restaurant, Blackbird Restaurant and Bar. On the menu is Mediterranean-influenced, locally sourced, and hyper-seasonal cuisine.

Travis Watson brings 20 years of award-winning culinary experience to Hotel Californian. “Chef Watson’s career has led him all over the world, including France where he served as an apprentice to Chef Georges Paccard of Michelin-starred La Ciboulette. He most recently served as Executive Chef at Rancho Bernardo Inn & Spa in San Diego and is now thrilled to tap into the distinctive terroir of the Central Coast.”

He’s also the menu-maker for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner at the al-fresco Goat Tree, banquets and in-room dining at Hotel Californian.

Chef Travis takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us.

Leading the Margerum Wine Company team (with a new tasting room at Hotel Californian in the State Building) is creator and namesake, Douglas Barden Margerum, a long- term Santa Barbara resident who has been a fixture in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 35 years. Doug is also is a member of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Advisory Committee.

“Margerum Wine Company produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown both on their estate vineyard and grapes purchased from other top vineyards from in and around Santa Barbara County. The 18-acre estate vineyard is planted exclusively to Rhône grape varietals. The acreage is divided between limestone hillsides and gravelly alluvial flatlands along Alamo Pintado Creek. The wines are made at their state-of-the-art winery located on Industrial Way in Buellton. Owner and Director of Winemaking, Douglas Barden Margerum, works with the top vineyards from the cool, eastern end of the valley in Happy Canyon to the western end’s cold vineyards of Sta. Rita Hills. Doug carefully selects the vineyards with meticulous attention to detail in all factors influencing the ultimate quality of the wines, including pruning, soil, climate, and farming methods.”

“Margerum Wine Company is committed to creating hand-crafted wines using only the highest quality grapes in order to make wines that are indicative of the place where they are grown. They strive to make wines naturally, to make wines that have individual characteristics and to make wines with personality. The scale of production is kept at a level where they can touch and know the wine as it is raised to the bottle – the antithesis of mass production. The standards of quality are measured by their own rigid criteria – not by external sources. They make wines they personally enjoy – some to drink young, others for long aging in cool cellars for future generations to enjoy, but mostly to share at the table with family and friends.”

“Doug’s multi-faceted background as the Sommelier/Owner of The Wine Cask, a Wine Spectator Grand Award restaurant recipient, and as a highly respected winemaker made him sought out by a variety of wineries to assist in the formation of their brands. Doug has consulted for Chêne Bleu super Rhône wines in France, and continues to consult for La Encantada Vineyards, Rancho Boa Vista and Happy Canyon Vineyards, all in Santa Barbara County, as well as the Santa Barbara wines of Paradise Springs Winery based in Virginia.”

“Hospitality veteran Jim Dodge (a multiple James Beard Award winner) has had a rich, wide-ranging culinary career. After growing up in the hospitality industry, he trained as a chef, became a celebrated pastry chef, published several cookbooks, opened a pastry shop and restaurant in Hong Kong, then became a culinary educator and joined the food service industry. Since 2004, he has been Bon Appétit Management Company’s director of specialty culinary programs, based in the corporate office in Palo Alto, CA, and donates his time regularly to charities throughout the country.”

“With Bon Appetit Management Jim now oversees training in specific global cuisines and techniques, hosts culinary demonstrations, and manages the company’s Star Chefs program, which invites chefs to Bon Appétit cafés for recipe-tasting and book-signing events to help promote their new cookbooks.”

“For seven generations, Jim’s family has managed a number of hotels and resorts in rural New Hampshire, where Jim received early training in hospitality and grew up cooking with local ingredients from nearby farms and food produced on his family’s land. Once in the kitchen, Jim knew he wanted to specialize in pastry. He trained with Swiss pastry chef Fritz Albicker, melding Swiss influence with his New England heritage to create a unique method of preparation and styling that set him apart as a chef.”

“In his 10 years at the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco, Jim became a nationally recognized pastry chef and embarked on a rich, wide-ranging culinary career. His experience and contributions are a testament to his passion for the craft of cooking and educating others.”

Jim is currently the jury chair for the first-ever Julia Child Award, and serves on the Advisory Council of the Julia Child Foundation. We’re in the kitchen with Jim Dodge.

Edible Santa Barbara is a quarterly magazine entirely locally owned and operated. “And with our membership in Edible Communities, we are able to combine the synergy of a national publication and a hip, locally written insider’s view of the food and beverage producers and purveyors throughout the region. We shine the spotlight on our exemplary farmers, fishermen, ranchers, winemakers and community food programs—we savor the delicious diversity of Santa Barbara.”

“Santa Barbara County has its own unique food traditions—from Santa Maria Barbecue to Santa Barbara Spot Prawns and the world class local wines that accompany them. And our region’s commitment to healthy living has long been on the forefront of what people eat.”

“There is a growing national movement that is encouraging people to eat more locally grown and locally produced foods. By eating locally, we help sustain the small family farms that grow these foods and we enjoy food that is fresher and healthier for us and for our environment.”

“Krista Harris (Editor & Co-Publisher of Edible Santa Barbara) is a fifth generation Californian who was born and raised in San Diego. She moved to Santa Barbara to attend UC Santa Barbara, fell in love with area and has lived here ever since. Her first job was working for a local newspaper and since then she has worked as an editor, graphic designer and creative director in the corporate world. But local food has been her passion since she first started shopping at farmers markets in the mid- 1980s. In 2009 she started Edible Santa Barbara, a food magazine devoted to local, seasonal and sustainable food. Krista holds a B.A. in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara.”

“Krista is active in the community, is a board member at Fairview Gardens, and serves on the Partnership Council of the Community Environmental Council as well as is a member the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Advisory Committee. And she can still be seen shopping regularly at the farmers markets with Steve Brown, her husband and co-publisher of Edible Santa Barbara.”

Edible Santa Barbara’s Editor and Co-Publisher Krista Harris joins us.

“Alma Rosa Winery was founded in 2005 by California wine industry pioneer Richard Sanford and his wife, Thekla. They named the winery after the 1839 Rancho Santa Rosa land grant that historically encompassed this region of Santa Barbara County. Richard Sanford was the first to plant Pinot Noir in the area in 1971 after detailed research of climate and geologic records. Richard went on to launch two wineries before creating Alma Rosa (which he sold in 2015.)” Today Richard serves as Founder and Winery Ambassador for Alma Rosa Winery. Richard pulls the cork on Alma Rosa for us.

“Richard Sanford was inducted into the Vintner’s Hall of Fame in 2012 for his contributions to the California wine industry. Following his service in Vietnam, Richard Sanford dreamed of discovering a West Coast climate zone similar to the Burgundy region of France and producing wine that would rival the best in the world.  With a degree in Geography from UC Berkeley, he identified a remarkable geographic anomaly: the transverse mountain ranges of California where the valleys open to the west, allowing cool maritime air to moderate the growing climate.”

“After locating acreage with well-drained soils in the targeted climate zone, Richard planted the first Pinot Noir vineyard in the Central Coast in 1971 — the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. A decade later, he and his wife Thekla founded Sanford Winery, where they produced award-winning wines for over 25 years.”

“In 2005, the Sanfords launched Alma Rosa Winery to pursue their commitment to organic farming and sustainable business practices. Today, those practices are continued by Bob & Barb Zorich, who purchased Alma Rosa Winery in 2014.”

Originally from Tomball, Texas, Jason Paluska, the Executive Chef of The Lark in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, began his cooking career in San Francisco under chefs Mitch and Steve Rosenthal of Town Hall, Salt House and Anchor & Hope in 2006. Jason went on to became a sous chef at Michael Mina’s RN74 in San Francisco. For four years he worked under renowned chef Jason Berthold, formerly of the French Laundry & Per Se.

In 2013 he left the Bay area and moved to Santa Barbara as the opening executive chef of The Lark restaurant for Acme Hospitality. Most recently Jason and his team at The Lark received the Michelin Plate award in June of 2019.

“The Lark, named for the sleek overnight Pullman train of the Southern Pacific Railroad that serviced Santa Barbara from 1910 -1968, is situated in the heart of the Funk Zone, a vibrant arts and entertainment district near the Waterfront in downtown Santa Barbara. Our menus are locally sourced and responsibly grown, using the highest quality seasonal ingredients based on the abundant bounty of the Central Coast.  Our food is served family style intended for sharing. Our space was designed with an urban style that integrates vintage and repurposed materials for a sophisticated yet casual sensibility with a nod to our neighborhood’s industrial past.”

“The Lark’s full bar features classic and modern craft cocktails using the finest in artisan spirits, mixers and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Our wine list highlights small Santa Barbara County producers as well as artisan winemakers from afar.”

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group joins us from the road with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to Listeners’ thoughtful inquiries based on his expansive, insider’s knowledge and practical hospitality experience. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef Travis Watson, Hotel Californian, Santa Barbara
Segment Three: Winemaker Douglas Barden Margerum, Margerum Wine Company, Santa Barbara
Segment Four: Chef Jim Dodge, Bon Appetit Management Co.
Segment Five: Krista Harris – Editor & Co-Publisher, Edible Santa Barbara & Wine Country
Segment Six: Winemaker Richard Sanford, Alma Rosa Winery, Santa Rita Hills
Segment Seven: Executive Chef Jason Paluska, The Lark, Santa Barbara
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”